Nellie Corinne Bell

Dr. Nellie Corinne Reed Bell passed away Sunday, November 7, 2021 following a decline due to Vascular Dementia and Mixed Alzheimer’s type dementia. Corinne grew up on a cotton farm in rural Holly Springs, Mississippi as one of five children. She passed away on the birthdate of her father, Robert Reed, whom she adored for exposing her to music, film, and the world of creative arts. She gained from him the gift of playing the piano beautifully and shared many fond memories of their experiences throughout the years. She also often credited her mother, the indomitable Kathleen Reed with her strength, fortitude and “If anyone can fix it, I can!” attitude. As a majorette in her high school band, she treasured trips with the band which were some of her favorite memories as they gave her opportunities to expand her view of the world. She learned to sew early in life, a talent she utilized to make clothes for herself and for her children prior to starting her career. When her children were three and nine, Corinne made her way to college. She was one of the first students to attend Roane State Community College, making straight A’s while earning her Associates degree. She was awarded a scholarship to continue her studies at the University of Tennessee. At UT, she would complete her Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D. while raising her children as a single mother. She utilized her time at UT to enjoy the campus events in ballet, art, theater, and music, to which she was begrudgingly accompanied by her daughter. She would later make enrollment in art appreciation classes a condition of paying for her daughter’s college education. Corinne was humbly proud of her thirty-plus year career as a school and clinical psychologist. She was a brilliant listener, full of compassion, unconditional love and true, ever-present understanding of forgiveness. She made innumerable contributions to untold numbers of individuals and families whose lives she touched for the better, and earned mutual respect from and returned to the professional community in which she served. She specialized in evaluating children who had experienced abuse, utilizing play therapy and other methods to help them tell their stories. She performed custody evaluations for families with complex situations and helped judges make difficult decisions. She often said, “We can know what is going to happen and still not know how it is going to feel.” She encouraged everyone to stay in touch with their feelings and express themselves. Interestingly, her final days were spent within a mile of two locations which were formative in her early career: Lakeshore Mental Health Institute (now a park) and her first private practice on Lyons View Pike. In her last hours she rested peacefully, as her family spent quiet, meaningful time with her to let her know that her work here was done. We are at peace with her transition and relieved to see the end of her suffering. We have had tears and laughs remembering so many things about her full life, quick smiles and easy laughter. She finished her time here glowingly proud of what she called her greatest achievements, Jeff and Jennifer, as well as her grandchildren, Brooke, Bennett, and Graham, whom she loved so dearly. We gratefully bid Corinne farewell as she joins others whom she cherished throughout her life. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Kathleen Reed, Siblings Martha Ann, Leslie and John Reed and husband, Roy Rummel. She is survived by her sister, Carolyn (Carl) Barrett, her children, Jeff Bell, Jennifer (Chris) Monroe, Grandchildren Brooke (Garrett) West, Bennett (Ellie) Monroe and Graham Monroe as well as many other nieces, nephews, friends, and family. We extend our love to Roy’s family as well, she loved them all dearly and deeply. Dementia is a terrible thief, and we encourage all families experiencing it to reach out for as much education as possible to strengthen their management of the disease. We offer special thanks to: Dr. Monica Crane and the entire staff at Genesis Neuroscience Clinic for sincere and gentle care of your patients; To the staff of Renaissance Terrace, who provided extensive care for the many months of 2020 when visitors were not allowed; To the staff of Westmoreland Health and Rehab/The Bridges Memory Care for being Mom’s final caregivers, and to UT Hospice for their excellent care of patients and families. We also thank our friends and family for your loving support and kind words these last years. We are and will remain eternally grateful. To give a gift in memory of Corinne, please visit https://www.familypromiseknoxville.org/. Corinne invested much of her life helping families heal, so we have chosen an organization that promotes that same work. A celebration of her life will take place at The Episcopal Church of the Ascension on Saturday, January 8th at 11 am with lunch following.