In Loving Memory, August 27, 1958-August 17, 2024 — Patricia A. Bell (“Pat”), beloved Mother and Grandmother and one of the country’s premier private wealth advisors, who spent her 45-year career at Merrill Lynch championing women, the arts, and mental health awareness, died on August 17th. She was 65. The cause was metastatic breast cancer, a condition she was diagnosed with in 2022. Pat left this world holding her son’s hand, surrounded by love and family.
Patricia A. “Pat” Bell
Pat had an unconventional beginning to her four-and-a-half-decade career. As she relayed to Forbes in 2017: “The way I got started in business was through a ‘Fashion and Finance’ seminar with high-end department stores. I got the women’s groups in the area to find two women to be models in the fashion show. Six-hundred and fifty people came to that show.” After that, she had clients flooding in and raised $50 million in two years – primarily from women. Being both a woman in a male-dominated industry, and her location in Short Hills, NJ, were assets to her as she grew her portfolio. “In our area, there were a lot of first – and second – generation immigrants, and they really trusted women, and they were happy to deal with a woman,” she said. Her acumen and close relationships helped her eventually grow the Bell Group to oversee more than $700 million in assets.
Her success in her field earned her many accolades including the number one ranking in Forbes’ 2024 Best-In-State Women Advisors in New Jersey, repeated recognition in Barron’s list of Top Financial Advisors, and Merrill Lynch’s prestigious David Brady Award for outstanding philanthropy, client focus, and commitment to community. Most importantly, her success was her clients’ success, ensuring multi-generational financial security for the numerous families that relied on her.
Pat’s professional accomplishments enabled her to pursue her other passions. She was a patron of the arts and served on the boards of Aljira, a contemporary art space in Newark; the Montclair Art Museum; the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey; Arts Unbound; the Garden State Arts Foundation; the Lydia Johnson Dance Company; and Inward House. An avid collector herself, she owned works by well-known artists such as Cindy Sherman, Chuck Close, and Kiki Smith. But she had a keen eye for emerging talent. In 1989 when the now famous American artist Carl Ostendarp was struggling, Pat purchased a sculpture from him and wired him the money so he could pay his rent.
Ms. Bell’s ability to find beauty in struggle and see potential where others could not was in part due to her own lifelong battle with Bipolar Disorder. Her openness about her mental health, combined with her personal and professional achievements in life, inspired those around her. She championed mental health awareness, lived a life that challenged stigmas about Bipolar, and encouraged strangers and friends alike to be their authentic selves. She viewed the world with a sense of wonder, and loved others without judgement.
Born in Ohio, to Joyce and Rodney Bell, Pat was the eldest of three siblings. As a child, she and her family moved frequently. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Boulder, Pat moved to New Jersey, where she accepted a position with Merrill Lynch. It was there where she met and married her former husband with whom she shares a son, Douglas Keller, Jr. Douglas was the center of her universe and the source of her greatest love. She became “GiGi” following the birth of her granddaughters Belle Buck Keller in 2020 and Ruby Roy Keller in 2022, a title she treasured more than any other. Pat never missed a weekly visit with Belle and Ruby during her two-year cancer treatment, imprinting the passion and sense of wonder that so many others around her valued.
Ms. Bell is survived by her son Douglas Keller, Jr., his wife Halsey Keller, and their two daughters Belle and Ruby. She is also survived by her loving parents Joyce Bell-Lenkeit, Rodney Bell and his wife Elizabeth; her siblings Pamela, Charles, Jennifer, John, and James; her fiancé Stephan Waldron; her former husband and business partner Douglas Keller, Sr., his wife Daniela, and Douglas Jr.’s four siblings.
A memorial service celebrating Ms. Bell’s extraordinary life and generous spirit will be held at the United Methodist Church in Summit, New Jersey, on September 7th at 2pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Pat’s memory to a local arts organizations or to a mental health initiative that serves people in your local community. For additional information or to express condolences please visit www.fanwoodmemorial.com.
This obituary was first published in The Star-Ledger.
