She was preceded in death by her husband of 26 years, Dr. Maurice Shils; her mother, Bessie Hicks Bell; her father, Frank McKinley Bell, Sr.; and her brothers, Frank McKinley "Mac" Bell, Jr. and Robert Charles "Bobby" Bell. She is survived by her sister, Dorothy Bell Brandt (Jack) of Kansas City; her nephew, Frank McKinley "Kinley" Bell, III of Mobile; two nieces, Nancy Bell Hills (Vic) of Granada Hills, CA and Tracy Bell Godwin (Trent); great-niece, Hillary Bell Haas (Neill); great-nephew, Frank McKinley "Ley" Bell, IV; stepson, Jonathan Shils of Atlanta; step-daughter, Loraine Shils Hammack of Shaker Heights, Ohio; and their families.
Betty grew up in Mobile, attended Leinkauf Elementary School and Murphy High School, and graduated from Auburn University in 1957 with a degree in Food and Nutrition. Her first job as a registered dietitian was at Cornell University. After several years away, she returned to Mobile and achieved much success in her profession at Providence Hospital and the Mobile Infirmary. She also served as a consultant in nursing homes and in an orphanage. Betty was a pioneer in establishing a nutrition private practice while continuing to work full time. She particularly enjoyed her hospital work because she felt that she could bring happiness to patients through food.
It was during this hospital period that Betty received an invitation to attend a nutrition meeting in China. She hesitated at first but then decided to go. The rest is history: she met there the love of her life (Maurice Shils, MD, a.k.a. Maury) who was there to present his latest findings in nutrition and disease.
After they married, Betty and Maury eventually settled in Winston-Salem, NC, where they both continued practicing their skills at local academic and health care institutions. Later the cruised the world together, gathering lifelong memories.
Betty will remain forever in the hearts of her friends and family as a loving and remarkably accomplished human being.
Graveside services and interment will be held in Pine Crest Cemetery on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at 10 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Rotary's Children Foundation, 61 St. Joseph St., Suite 905, Mobile, AL 36602, or online at http://rotarychildrensfoundation.org; Mitchell Cancer Institute, Attn.: Office of Development, 650 Clinic Dr., TRP III, Mobile, AL 36688, or online at https://giving.usahealthsystem.com; or to a favorite charity. Condolences may be offered at www.pinecrestfuneralhome.com.
