FRANCES ELIZABETH BROOKE BELL

Beloved daughter of Hilliard Brooke Bell and Nancy Manners McCarthy. Elizabeth (affectionally known as Lizzie or Auntie Biz) passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 22, 2025, in her 87th year, at Southlake Hospital in Newmarket. She was surrounded by her family, who provided comfort and care during her short stay. Elizabeth was the loving sister to the late Barbara Brooke Cooper and her dear brother, Peter Brooke Bell, who she spoke with every day! Peter was truly a big brother to her. She was an aunt to Martha (Robert), Barbara (Ken), Nancy (Glenn) and the late Brooke Bell; Deborah, Virginia (Kent) and Douglas Cooper (Holly); and great-aunt to Jennifer, Sawyer and Caro Patman, Sarah and Rebecca Legg, Emma and Sam Reynolds and Paige Cooper. Biz had a strong connection to her family summer cottage (Longuissa) in Georgian Bay, where she was the fourth generation custodian. She was the happiest when there were guests over and she could tell stories about life at the cottage with her mother, father and grandparents, Leighton and Muriel McCarthy. Biz also spent summer months at Camp Tanamakoon, a place that was always close to her heart. She taught us all camp songs, appreciation for the call of a loon and the beauty of a morning skinny dip. At camp she excelled at canoeing, swimming, diving and thrived as a C-I-T. To say her summers were very "structured" would be an understatement. This early discipline served her well as she went through her schooling at Bishop Strachan School (BSS) and then on to University of Toronto (Diploma Physio & Occupational Therapy 1960), Queen's University (BSc. in OT 1973), Virginia Commonwealth University (MSc. 1980). She was an academic at heart and enjoyed teaching at Queen's and Dalhousie University. When she moved to Halifax, Biz and her friend Barb O'Shea founded Dalhousie's School of Occupational Therapy. Biz was very proud of her career as an Occupational Therapist, and this was recognized with several honors and awards. To Biz, family meant everything. She lived vicariously through the lives of her large extended family. She adored the annual holidays as it meant getting together and celebrating. Friends were also very important to Biz. She stayed in close touch with BSS friends, Pi Beta Phi sorority sisters and fellow campers. You knew that she was thinking of you when you received one of her many cards or clippings in the mail. She was active at Grace Church on-the-hill her whole life, including being a member of the Sanctuary Guild. We would like to recognize and thank profusely the caregivers, Marissa, Silina, Bibi and Morgan, who provided Biz with extraordinary care throughout the past two years and to the entire Palliative Care Team at Southlake Hospital. They all supported Biz to live out her final months with dignity and respect as was her wish. There will be a visitation at Morley Bedford Funeral Chapel, 159 Eglinton Avenue West, on Monday, December 1st, from 5 – 8 p.m. The Funeral will be held on Tuesday, December 2nd, at 10:30 a.m., at Grace Church on-the-Hill, with a reception to follow after, at the Church. Please wear colours in honor of Biz. Please know that Biz asked in lieu of flowers, please donate to a Charity of Your Choice or one of hers; Georgian Bay Forever, CNIB or Scott Mission.