Nancy Ruth Taylor Bell

Nancy Ruth Taylor Bell, (Ma Bell), died peacefully Saturday, November 21, 2020, in Charleston, South Carolina. She was born on March 24, 1930, in Greenville, South Carolina to James Roy Taylor and Eran Medlock Taylor who preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by her husbands, Charles Hampton and James L. Bell, brothers, James Roy Taylor, Bobby Ray Taylor, Thomas Harvey Taylor, and her son, Charles Anthony Kestner. Surviving her are her brother, Frank Delano Taylor (Lynda), her sons Daniel Lee Kestner and Gary Lynn Kestner (Janice), her longtime companion, Ralph Hocking, her daughter-in-law, Merry Nagy Kestner, her grandchildren, Heidi Ward, Brent Kestner, Jason Kestner, Wesley Kestner, and her great-grandchildren, Elizabeth Hilley, Emma Ward, Maddison Ward, Veronique Ward, Haley Ward, Carson Kestner, Grayson Kestner, Jameson Kestner, Brodie Kestner, Piper Kestner, Noah Kestner and Koby Kestner. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Ma Bell graduated from Parker High School. She worked at Michelin for over 20 years and retired from there, twice. She was loved and respected by her colleagues, many of whom have become lifelong friends.

Ma Bell didn’t have hobbies, she had passions and they were running, baseball (Go Braves! Go Drive!), hiking, traveling, cooking, hosting gatherings and, her deepest passion, her people. At 50 years old, Ma Bell began running countless marathons all over the country and in London. She placed first and set records in her age group for almost all of those races! One of her most incredible records in running was when she finished first in her age group (65+) for the Pikes Peak marathon in Colorado. She was also awarded with a Life Member Award for Extraordinary Service through her running group, the Greenville Track Club. Ma Bell’s team was the Braves, but she became fully invested in the Greenville Drive team. She made friends with her neighbor who happened to be the batting coach of the Greenville Drive team, Lee May, Jr. She became the unofficial “Team Mom” through their friendship and lots of baked goods for the team. She had home game tickets to the Greenville Drive games and eventually got to know most everyone at the stadium. She was so proud to have been invited to stand with the team during the National Anthem at one of the games. Ma Bell hiked the Swiss Alps with her son, Gary and hiked in Glacier National Park with her other son, Dan. She also traveled to Thailand for a month-long adventure to meet some Thai friends she had met in Greenville. Ma Bell also showed her love through food and if she really loved you, you knew exactly how amazing her fresh baked handmade biscuits tasted! She loved her friends and family dearly and never missed an opportunity to tell them so.

She will be missed by all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum in her name.
Mail to:
Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum
P.O. Box 4755
Greenville, SC 29608

Visitation and Service will be held on
Friday, March 19, 2021 at 2p.m. at
The Cremation Society of SC-Westville Funerals
6010 White Horse Rd.
Greenville, SC 29611

Celebration of Life will be held on
Saturday, March 20, 2021 at 9a.m. at
Pretty Place Chapel
100 YMCA Camp Road
Cleveland, SC 29635

Please plan to join us and share your favorite happy memory of this remarkable woman.

All are welcome.