Jerrel Ann Little Bell

Jerrel "Jerry" Ann Little Bell, age 87, of Pfafftown, NC, passed away on Monday, April 13, 2026, at her home.

Jerrel was born in Anderson, SC, on July 30, 1938, the fourth of six children born to the late Waymon Oscar Little and Bertie Player Little. She married Andrew Edward Bell on March 6, 1955, beginning of a partnership rooted in family, hard work, and shared purpose. Together, they built a life connected to one of Winston-Salem’s cherished institutions, Bell Brothers Cafeteria, as well as Ed Bell’s Cafeteria in Morehead City, NC. Jerrel remained his devoted wife for forty-four years until his death in 2019.

Jerrel belonged to a generation that knew how to persevere, how to host with warmth, how to lead with dignity, and how to love without fanfare. She leaves behind standards of strength, class, resilience, and care. She carried a natural confidence and warmth that stayed with her throughout her life. More than beautiful, she was capable, accomplished, and driven. An exemplar of a life well lived, hers is measured by the people she lifted, the family she shaped, and the community that was bettered by her presence. A woman of faith, her Christian foundation was not rooted in judgment, but in kindness, compassion, and love. She welcomed others, encouraged those who struggled, and carried herself with steadfast belief and grace. She was a dedicated member of First Baptist Church.

After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, she worked as a model among other business ventures. She was active in community life and eventually chose to participate in more civic-minded and public activities. She was longtime officeholder and eventual President of the Winston-Salem Junior Woman’s Club, and was awarded the club’s Most Outstanding Young Woman of the Year. Jerrel served on both the district and state levels of the NCFWC as well. She seemed to embrace challenges with enthusiasm and alacrity, as evidenced by her unlikely stint as a musical theater producer.

Jerrel was a woman of deep devotion to the people she loved. As the matriarch of a prominent local family, Jerrel leaves behind generations that carry her name, her stories, and the indelible imprint of her love. In her final days, she was surrounded by family – a fitting reflection of the life she built. 

She is survived by one son, Scott of Scottsdale, AZ; two daughters, Tammy of Clemmons, NC, and Teddie of Pfafftown, NC; six grandchildren, Kayse of Lincolnton, NC, Austin of Winston-Salem, NC, Andrew of Asheville, NC, Riley, Hayden, and Kelsey of Pfafftown, NC; and five great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held for Jerrel at 2:00PM on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at Forsyth Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, friends can send devotions to the Sotos Syndrome Foundation, https://www.sotossyndrome.org/donate/.

Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel is assisting the family of Mrs. Jerrel Ann Little Bell.