Jean Bell Greaves

Jean Bell Greaves, a longtime resident of Mobile, Alabama died on February 7, 2017 at the age of 98. She was born Annie Jean Bell in Eufaula, AL on September 16, 1918 to Dr. John Mac Bell and Annie Powell Bell.

After graduating from Murphy High School, Jean attended Wesleyan College in Macon Georgia. Jean was married in 1942 and preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Guy Greaves, Jr; a prominent Mobile attorney. She also was preceded in death by her brother, Dr. John Mac Bell (Jr.) and her sister, Emily Bell McNally.

Jean, a devoted and loving mother is survived by her two sons, Thomas Guy Greaves III, (Georgea McKinley) of Greenville, SC and Mac Bell Greaves, (Anne Wright) of Birmingham, AL. She is also survived by her brother, William Lane Bell (Beverly Massey) and sister, Winifred Stiles Bell, both of Mobile. . She is survived also by five grandchildren: Georgea Jean Smith of Raleigh, NC (Charles Smith), Page Greaves Gatewood (Thomas E. Gatewood III) of Charlotte, NC, Ivie DuVal Greaves of Greenville, S C; and Mac Bell Greaves, Jr. and Anne Catherine Greaves of Birmingham ;, and by four great- grandchildren, Thomas E. Gatewood, IV, William Greaves Gatewood, Georgea McKinley Smith and Mary Greaves Smith.

Jean will be lovingly remembered for her magnetic personality, collecting over her life numerous friends of all ages. She was blessed with a positive attitude and was always an encourager. Jean brought the very best out in all who knew her.

She was also very persuasive. On one occasion, in the early ‘40’s when she was working as a hostess on the train, the GM&O Rebel, she convinced the conductor to stop the train and back it several miles back down the track to the station they had just left in order to return a set of car keys to her fiancé, Tommy. He had seen her to the train to return to work and she had forgotten, in leaving, to give the keys back to him when they parted at the station. It should be noted that she was the quintessential hostess, always ready to entertain with a flair.

Jean was an active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Springhill. Throughout her life she worked diligently on behalf of numerous charitable organizations, helping to generate support for those causes. Among those dear to her were The Arthritis Foundation, The Junior League of Mobile, D.A.R., and Colonial Dames.

The family extends special thanks to Jean’s beloved caregivers; Ruby Coats-Adams, Eva Matthews, Elizabeth Lowman, Claudette Prince and Mary Griffin.

A private burial service (immediate family) will be held at Magnolia Cemetery on Tuesday, February 14, 2017, after which a memorial service for friends and family will be held at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be sent to the charity of your choice, or to: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 4051 Old Shell Rd., Mobile, Ala. 36608 Arrangements under the direction of Radney Funeral Home-Mobile, Mobile, AL.