RIP: Peggy Kirk Bell

[Jay Mickle]

She will be missed by all in the Pine Needles community. If you ever met her, you surely were regaled with great stories.
http://www.thepilot.com/news/peggy-kirk-bell-golf-s-first-lady-dies/article_2473e5b6-b0f1-11e6-9735-97a011ead5bb.html

[BCowan]

That is too bad, such a great ambassador for Golf.  Also proud to say she is from NW Ohio! 

[jim_lewis]

Outside of my own family, Mrs. Bell was my favorite woman I ever met. I always said she was as close as I ever got to meeting Katherine Hepburn, which is about the highest compliment I know. She embodied every trait the perfect woman should possess. The last of the Pinehurst icons.

[Joe Bausch]

I know people that speak so highly of her.

RIP.

[RJ_Daley]

She made everyone staying at the Pine Needles lodge feel like they were old friends.  Will the "Golfari's" continue to promote women in golf, drawing new golf fan's to the game?

[Anthony Gholz]

Jay:


My father was a pediatrician in Port huron Michigan from 1950 through 1990.  When Mrs Bell was head pro at the St Clair River CC in the 50s, Dad was her family's pediatrician.  Many years later he remembered to me how much he enjoyed meeting her and helping with her kids first medical needs. In cleaning out Dad's files after his death this summer at 95, I ran across local news articles with pictures of Peggy with husband "Bullet" Bell and their airplane.  I remember similar pics in the Pine Needles lodge on a visit two years ago.  Maybe someone could post one?  On that trip I was told she had just fallen and hurt leg (a hip?), but was still having dinner in the front room of the lodge with family.


Thanks for posting Jay.
Anthony

[Bill_McBride]

She made everyone staying at the Pine Needles lodge feel like they were old friends.  Will the "Golfari's" continue to promote women in golf, drawing new golf fan's to the game?

My wife Kathleen attended a Golfari in the late 80's when she was learning to play.  Had a ball with all the ladies, loved Peggy and learned a whole lot. 

[Jay Mickle]

Anthony,
Here is a link to the local paper with some of the photos you mention.
http://www.thepilot.com/news/in-golf-and-life-peggy-kirk-bell-s-timing-was/article_2473e5b6-b0f1-11e6-9735-97a011ead5bb.html

RJ,
I am sure that Golfaris are herr to stay$


I recall a story that PKB told about flying back from a tournament and encountering violent and turbulent weather. Seems she made a deal with God that if he would get her to safety she would sell the plane. She landed safely, sold the plane and built the pool at Pine Needles with the proceeds. With a wink-wink the pool was henceforth refered as "the plane"

[Tom Fagerli]

Many have their own story of Mrs Bell and her generosity. Mine includes Bullet, one of the greatest guys ever. When I was in law school a friend was a student at Bama with Peggy Ann. My friend would come to PN and of course I would drive down to PN from Wake to visit (aka mooch). The Bells would not take a red cent and insisted I play and eat. (Good thing they didn't want my money as I had none!) I was just one of many these fine people so graciously treated like their best friend and they didn't know me from Adam.  In the past few years as a regular at PN I had the pleasure to speak with Mrs Bell and what a woman she was.

[Cob Carlson]

These clips are outtakes from my film "DONALD ROSS: Discovering the Legend." Peggy was terrific in the film and not only knew a tremendous amount about Ross, but had actually met him and was friendly with him.

https://vimeo.com/193134127

[Mike Benham]

Some of the grizzled vets of this board will remember the night she crashed a Dixie Cup fireside chat with Forrest Fezler.  Someone in the Dixie Cup group (I'm going to say it was Ran) tried to shush her ( rightly so as she was being a bit loud in the back of the room) but there then was stunning silence when he saw who it was.

[Anthony Gholz]

Thanks Jay!

[JC Urbina]

Post deleted

[Jay Mickle]

A fine story:
http://www.pinehurst.com/news/day-ma-bell-crashed-party-pinehurst/

[Scott_Burroughs]

The Pilot article was the only one I saw that mentioned the namesake Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour, the largest girls-only golf tour in the U.S.  A decent percentage of the girls who play on the tour go on to play in college.  Seeing the camaraderie of the girls playing this great game, who get to know each other rather well (as we all know golf does) is a wonderful thing.

At one of the 'majors' each year (held at Pine Needles), Peggy would be driven around to watch each group for a little bit at a time.  She also posed for pictures with the girls.