Mary “Nell” Belcher Moss Abel, 85, retired owner of Nell’s Beauty Shop and resident of Cheairs Circle, died Thursday, December 21, 2017 at Maury Regional Medical Center.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 11:00 A.M. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Reverend Ron Paul and Reverend Jim Ledbetter officiating. Graveside services will be conducted Saturday at 2:30 P.M. at Hillview Cemetery in Alexandria, Tennessee. The family will visit with friends Friday after 4:00 P.M. at the funeral home.
The family suggests memorials be made to Pet Pals of Maury County, P.O. Box 1623, Columbia, TN 38402, Harvest Baptist Church, 119 4th Avenue, Columbia, TN 38401, or Maury Regional Medical Center Cancer Center, 808 James Campbell Blvd., Columbia, TN 38401. Condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com.
Born October 22, 1932 in Marion County, Missouri, she was the daughter of the late Ora Lee Allen Belcher Smith and the late Turner Ray Smith. Mrs. Abel enjoyed spending time and doting on her family. She loved watching hummingbirds, reading, and crocheting. She was a member of Harvest Baptist Church.
On July 23, 1949, she married Joe Edward Moss who preceded her in death July 19, 1998. Survivors include her husband, Francis J. Abel of Columbia; son, B.J. (Belinda) Moss of Columbia; daughters, Gayla Yvonne (Jerry) Nichols of Woodbury; Rita Sue (Douglas) Bast of Spring Hill; half-brothers, Hank (Joyce) Belcher of Franklin; Phillip (Sue) Belcher of Nashville; half-sister, Mary Lou (Joe) Fuller of Mt. Juliet; step daughters, Mary Francis (Rick) Hastrich of Uma, Arizona; Karen Lorence of Buffalo, New York; step son, Kenneth Abel of San Diego, California; twelve grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her siblings, Ben Hubert Smith; Frank Bratton Smith; and Martha Ray Malone.
Active pallbearers will be her grandchildren. Honorary pallbearers include James Ray “Tooter” Fralix, Shirley Hazard, and members of Harvest Baptist Church.
