Gillie Bell Branch, 91, liked to keep family memories alive

GILLIE BELL Branch was a daughter of the South, who never forgot where she came from.

And she wanted to make sure no one else forgot either.

She organized frequent excursions and family reunions to the old family stomping grounds in Occoneechee Neck, Jackson, N.C.

Summers were spent "down home," where Momma would play and bond with cousins.

"When they returned home at the end of the visit, the car would be loaded with the bounties of down-home, including cornmeal, molasses, country ham and fresh vegetables from the garden," her family wrote in a tribute.

Gillie Bell Branch, who came to Philadelphia after her marriage to James Branch, a partner in her husband's cleaning business and an active church member, died May 3. She was 91, and lived in South Philadelphia.

"The Branch home was always a welcoming destination for family and friends," her family said. "A visit meant fun, good food and memorable experiences.

"Gillie was as comfortable with young people as they were with her. She was quick to laugh and enjoyed stories of what was happening in the lives of both the young and the old."

Gillie liked to sit by the front window of her home on Ellsworth Street and watch the scene.

"She was always present to help relatives and friends celebrate happy occasions, and her support and encouragement were unconditional during times of sadness."

Gillie was the youngest of the nine children of Sumner Fairfield Bell and the former Alice Ransom. Her parents were farmers and entrepreneurs.

"They instilled in Gillie the values that would guide her life - faith in God, the rewards of hard work and excellence, the importance of education, family unity, love and respect for neighbors and service to the community," her family wrote.

Gillie was educated in the public schools of Northampton County, N.C. She and James Branch were married on Jan. 7, 1944, and moved to Philadelphia.

She was a partner in her husband's business, James Branch Cleaning Services, and became active in Mount Pleasant Baptist Church.

Gillie was founder and chairwoman of the Bell-Ransom Family Reunion. "The purpose of the reunion would be to honor the memory of her parents and other ancestors, to reminisce, to pay tribute, and to learn about the family's heritage," her family wrote.

The first reunion was held on Aug. 9, 1979, and nearly 200 people crowded the Bell family home in North Carolina. Reunions were held every summer. The next one is scheduled for this August.

"It will be her legacy," her family said.

Her husband died in 1996. She is survived by two daughters, Florence Branch Beard and Deborah Branch Franklin; a son, Melvin Branch; seven grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by two other sons, Danny and Vaughn.

Services: Celebration of life 10 a.m. Tuesday at Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church, 5620 Wyalusing Ave.