Bessie Bell

Bessie Ann Herdt Bell

Bessie Bell, formerly of Sea Cliff, Long Island, peacefully passed away on April 17, 2023, shortly before her 86th birthday.

Bess was born to Gilbert Herdt and Annette Brown Herdt, May 2, 1937, growing up in Glen Cove, the eldest of eight siblings. Bess graduated in 1955 from Sea Cliff High School and from Katherine Gibbs School in 1956. For many years she was executive secretary to Attorney Joseph W. Muldoon of Glen Cove. Bess earned her bachelor’s degree from Adelphi University in 1971, after which she pursued her post graduate studies at the New York Center for Psychoanalytic Training, earning her professional certification in 2000. Bess was gratified to have been able to help so many - providing counseling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and an empathetic shoulder through her practice which she maintained in Glenwood Landing.

Bess, was smart, beautiful, loving, incredibly talented, and so much fun to be with. She inherited her father Gilbert’s passion for gardening and her extraordinary musical singing talent was encouraged and nurtured as a student of her second mother – Clara Burling Roesch. Clara was her singing mentor and she arranged Bess’s debut at Carnegie Hall at the age of 13. She and her sister Penelope enjoyed performing beautiful duets. When Penny and her husband Tony Grover founded the musical theatre company ASCIA (A Small Company in America) Bess loved performing in many of their shows.

In 1971, Bess and her first husband, Thomas Whitehill, and their two daughters, Tara and Kathy, moved to the home that they designed and built in Sea Cliff. Bess so loved walking along Shore Road, gazing at the Sound.

Bess met Charles Bell when they were singing together in the Long Island Singers - they were married in 1982. They shared an exciting and fulfilling life together for over 32 years. Bess accompanied Charles on his Rotary International activities and she was his gracious first lady when he became District Governor of Rotary International. Bess and Chiz loved singing and they made beautiful music together in the choir of the Sea Cliff Methodist Church and the Brookville Reformed Church or just enjoying singing together whenever the opportunity arose. It was always a special treat when you received a harmonizing happy birthday call from Bess and her beloved Chiz.

In her later years, Bess enjoyed watching old cowboy movies. She loved the Duke and all those Marlboro men.

Bess is survived by her daughters Tara Whitehill Grossman (George) and Katherine Whitehill Livingston (Keith); grandchildren Victoria Grossman, Alexandra Grossman, Robert Livingston (Aidan), Schuyler Livingston (Toy) and great grandson, Kiliaen. She is also survived by brothers Robert Herdt and Timothy Herdt, Jonathan Herdt and sister Penelope Herdt, Charles’ daughter Marsha Bell and granddaughter Tory Bell. Bess’s youngest brother Douglass Herdt predeceased her, as did brother Eric Sjoquist and sister Stacie Sjoquist.

Visitation on Friday, April 21, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Whitting Funeral Home, 300 Glen Cove Ave., Glen Head, NY 11545.

Funeral Service on Saturday, April 22, at 10:00 AM also at Whitting Funeral Home, Glen Head, NY.

Interment followed at East Hillside Cemetery, Old Brookville, NY.