Norma Bell
Norma Bell is a mother and grandmother. She comes from a family that has long provided rich food for the community of Chapel Hill through restaurants like Bill’s Barbeque and Mama Dip’s.
Norma Bell - On her family, marriage, and relatives' businesses
In this interview, Norma Bell describes her wedding experience and her rebelliousness towards perceived unfairness. She describes her personality as being fair, assertive, and opinionated. She also talks about her 44-year marriage to Thomas Bell and their children and grandchildren. Norma’s mother, Mildred Council, went from being a domestic worker to owning her own restaurant, Mama Dip’s. Her mother worked for Roland Giduz as a cook. Her grandfather owned Bill’s Barbecue in Chapel Hill, where her mother worked for some time before working at another food place. Norma wanted to be a childcare worker rather than a cook like her mother. She remembers her mother being the disciplinarian in her family. Her mother reacted strongly when Norma got pregnant as a teenager. The interview ends with Norma’s reflection on her personal growth. She shares how she has grown into a more patient and calm person with the help of her husband. She uses her daughter’s sickness as an example.
