Jesteen McIntyre

Published 12:00 am Friday, October 17, 2008

NATCHEZ – Services for Jesteen Bell “Mama Teen” McIntyre, 105, of Natchez, who died Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008, will be at 11 a.m. today at Zion Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church with the Rev. Birdon Mitchell Jr. officiating.
Burial will follow at the Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of George F. West Funeral Home.

Mrs. McIntyre was born Aug. 19, 1903, in Fort Adams, the daughter of Henry and Mattie Riley Bell. She attended school in Fort Adams and New Orleans.
She received Christ as her savior at an early age at her family church in Fort Adams.
In the mid 1930’s she married Felix McIntyre, and a few years later, they purchased the land where she lived until her death. She was co-owner of a service station on Franklin and Pine Street in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, Mrs. McIntyre owned and operated the Rainbow Drive-in at 552 West Stiers Lane. She was a dedicated member of Victor Chapter No. 4 Order of Eastern Stars.
The church was an important part of Mama Teen’s life. She was a faithful member of Zion Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church where she held the positions of Stewardess for 53 years and class leader for 68 years. She was also a member of the M.J. Brady Missionary Society.
Mrs. McIntyre’s legacy of love included many charitable organizations, including president of Natchez Family Service, Colored Children’s Christmas Tree and United Way. She was the recipient of the Award of Honor from the NAACP for civic leadership. Mama Teen believed in helping others She loved to work with and encourage children.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one daughter, Etta Ruth Bell Johnson; one son, Alvin Bell; one brother, Leon Bell; her special son that she raised as her own, Eugene Brown; two nieces, Jesteen Bell and Willie Lee Bell Bland; one nephew, Henry Bell; and one sister-in-law, Annie Bell.
Survivors include three grandchildren, Michael K. Bell and wife, Laurentia, Teena Bell and Ricky, all of Chicago, and Tracy Johnson Todd and husband, David, both of Haywood, Calif.; one daughter-in-law, Kathleen Walker Bell of Chicago; a special niece, Connie Bell Louis of New Orleans/Natchez; two step-grandchildren, Joli Thompson and Guy Thompson both of Chicago; nephew and godson, Randy Bell Sr. and wife, Joyce, and nephews, Norman Bell Sr. and Mervin Louis, all of New Orleans, and Billy Bland of Glassburg, N.J.; three nieces, Dr. Deidra Louis and Cheri Bell, both of New Orleans, and Norma Bell of Atlanta; two godchildren, Monroe Phipps of Las Vegas, Nev. and Paula Calhoun of Washington, D.C.; seven great-grandchildren, Brandon, Cassandra, David, Imani, Michael II, Landen and Joli; and a number of great-great-nieces and nephews, cousins, friends and love ones, including Hazel J. Crawford, Anthony Martinez, Jessie Bernard Williams and her Order of Eastern Stars sisters.