IN life she looked over her children. In death, as they mourned her passing, she was probably watching over her entire family sitting in the front pews of Christ Church, Vineyard Town yesterday, at a thanksgiving service for her life.

Indeed, a large portrait of Calice Eoline Bell looked over the entire congregation that spilled into a large tent outside the church, which also spilled further into the church-yard.

“Ma Bell”, as she was more popularly known, had a long and distinguished career as an educator watching over the children she taught, especially those at Wolmer’s Girls School.

Yesterday, they all looked back at her, with love, affection and attention.

Her only daughter, Camille, spoke lovingly of her mother, recalling that they were taught never to think they were better than anyone else, while she was urged to take time to become a woman.

She also recalled her mother’s “strictness” as she was not allowed to go out, while her daughter Aisha Spencer accounted for her grandmother’s last day, a day they spent together.

Son, Michael, who couldn’t stop dancing during the rendition of the song, The Lord’s My Shepherd (sung to the tune of the Happy Wanderer) before reading the second lesson, taken from Romans 8: 28-39, said his mom gave him a ‘high five’ moments before she died, he too, having spent the day at home with her.

Granddaughter Yejide Bell read the first lesson, from Isaiah 25: 1-9.

The Reverend Patrick Cunningham, in his message, described the late Mrs Bell as a faithful Christian who was not perfect but diligent in her service to God and the church community. He made special reference of her “consciousness of her social responsibility as an educator”, and commended her for giving her time, talent and treasure to the building of God’s work.

Having done her best, Reverend Cunningham said Bell could not be criticised for doing either the Nuh Linga, or the Gully Creeper, two local dances, given international fame by Jamaica’s Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt at the Games in Beijing.

But those who knew the strict business education teacher at Wolmer’s, would tell you that Bell would not do either dance. However, she would have approved of Carole Reid’s super rendition of The Holy City. In fact, some felt that Bell would have danced to that.

Her son, Neville, TVJ presenter and former national youth football coach, was inconsolable. He was at different times hugged by brothers Michael and Russell.

Calice Bell, who was the mother of some of Jamaica’s most gifted academics and sporting personalities, died last week at her Vineyard Town home at age 91.

The country’s leading sporting administrators, especially from football, headed by Captain Horace Burrell, national technical director Rene Simoes and Ambassador A B Stewart Stephenson were among the mourners, as well as Canon Weeville Gordon and outgoing managing director at Radio Jamaica, J Lester Spaulding.

Academics also came out in support for Russell Bell, to whom many students who have sat and passed mathematics at any stage owe their success, as well as Dr Camille Bell-Hutchinson, a lecturer in mathematics.

Calice Bell was also the mother of the late Jackie Bell, who died tragically with Dennis Ziaide as they made their way to a football match in 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico, as well as mother-in-law to one of radio’s iconic voices, Norma Brown Bell.

Son Vernon, and numerous grandchildren, many of whom are carrying the great academic traditions of their parents, and late grandmother, also survives her.

She was laid to rest at Dovecot Memorial Park.