Mrs. Marie Bell Keener, age 88 of Ellijay, passed away on Tuesday, September 19th, 2023 at the Legacy Ridge in Cherokee.

Mrs. Keener was born on May 30th, 1935 in Fannin County to the late Arthur B. Bell and Lula Hyatt Bell. Marie loved the Lord dearly, and her church, Liberty Baptist Church, which she attended for more than 75 years. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed canning for her family. She was a great seamstress and she loved making quilts. She also was an amazing cook and folks are still trying to master her fried chicken and biscuits. Marie always showed unconditional love, making everyone feel like they were her favorite. Marie loved children and being surrounded by them and babies were her delight.  In addition to her parents, Mrs. Keener is preceded in death by her husband, George Washington Goss Keener.

Survivors include her sons and daughters-in-law, Goss (Angie) Keener of Canton, Rev. Stephen (Jennifer) Keener of Ellijay, and David Keener of Woodstock; daughters and sons-in-law, Judy (Roger) Lee of Woodstock and Janice (Kenny) Cochran of Woodstock; 12 grandchildren, Charity, Tiffany, Jeremy, Luke, Anna, Bradford, Amanda, Sarah, John, Abigail, Mary, and Jack; 14 great-grandchildren, Audrey, Cecilia, Jaylee, Hayden, Carter, Skylar, Jasmine, Rose, Izzie, Zander, Makz, Bobby Lee, Daisy, and George, and 2 great-grandchildren, Eveleena and Talulla also survive.

Funeral Services will be held on Friday, September 22nd, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. from the Chapel of Bernhardt Funeral Home with Rev. John Reece, Rev. David Nicholson, and Rev. Jerry Banks. Interment will follow in the Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery. Music will be provided by Bill McVey and Shannon Sanford. The gentlemen serving as pallbearers will include: Jeremy, and Luke Cochran, Bradford Lee, Jeremy Jones, Hayden, and Carter Burdette.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, September 21st, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Food will be accepted; however, it has been requested that no flowers be brought to the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Giedons International at https://www.gideons.org/ in memory of Mrs. Marie Bell Keener.

"The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts." Haggai 2:9 KJV

Bernhardt Funeral Home of Ellijay is in charge of these arrangements.