Mrs. Arie Bess

Reflections of Mrs. Arie’s Awesomeness

Arie Neal Stewart Bess was born April 19, 1941, to the late Sam James Neal and Arie Robinson Neal in (Claiborne County) Eutica, Mississippi. She was the seventh child out of eleven children, and she was named after her mother Arie. Six of Arie’s siblings preceded her in death.

Arie graduated from Kinloch High School and went on to earn an associate degree in nursing from Florissant Valley Community College in 1977. She enrolled at the University of Missouri – St. Louis where she took additional nursing courses. Arie retired as a Medical Surgical Nurse and Registered Nurse after working for more than 35 years in several hospitals and as a School Nurse in the St. Louis Public School District.

Arie was blessed with four children during her union to Robert Eugene Stewart – Cynthia, Robert, James and Cynthia. Her first child Cynthia preceded her in death. 

On June 2, 1978, Arie sealed her  love in holy matrimony to William “Bill” Bess.  Although they did not have any biological children, they did share two daughters, Romonia and Sonya.

Arie knew and served the Lord while attending Devotional Missionary Baptist Church. She sang in the choir and played the piano.

When we talk to Arie, she would say, “I lived my life to the fullest”.  Arie’s favorite past-times were enjoying family gatherings, playing bid whist, watching westerns, going on casino turnaround trips and having weekly talks with her sisters. Her son James, better known as “Skippy,” never skipped a beat when it came to being there for mom. Thursdays were extra special because Cynthia was able to spend more time with her mother. They shared that mother-daughter bond that was unbreakable. She would affectionately call her “Cynthi-boo” and Cynthia would call her “Bessy-bug”. Cynthia said, “She was always my mother first, and as our relationship grew, she became my best friend.” Cynthia took her mother on various doctors’ appointments where she heard first-hand, Arie’s medical condition.  

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