Family, community remembers Sandy Bell, “The Flower Man”

January 30, 2019

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – There was a beautiful, colorful arrangement of flowers at Patten Parkway Wednesday afternoon.

That was where friends and family came to remember Sandy Bell, “The Flower Man.”

“You know you can’t fake love, but Sandy loved what he did and he did it for a reason. He did it for a reason,” Bell’s sister Harriett Sills said.

What he did would brighten the day of many.

For years, people knew him as someone who would pass out flowers in downtown Chattanooga and had an infectious smile.

He then eventually picked up the nickname, “The Flower Man.”

“They say I’m making their day when actually I think of it totally vise versa,” Sandy Bell told News 12 in 2010.

“That’s why he always had a big smile, because of the love that people had shown him by buying his flowers, even though he gave away just as many flowers as he sold,” Bell’s brother Ricky Bell said.

“Everybody in the community, he loved them. They were like his second family and love is genuine. Love is pure,” Sills said.

Sandy went to Howard High School and served in the Marine Corps before returning back to his hometown of Chattanooga.

The community loved him so much that when he became sick with colon cancer many years ago, several businesses came together to raise money for medical costs.

“In the same way everybody’s hearts go out to Sandy, Sandy’s heart goes out to them,” Sills said.

Family members said the reaction from the community since Sandy’s passing has been overwhelming and heartwarming.

“Sandy’s a good man. He’s a good man and it appears that he has affected a lot of people in a positive way and you can’t ask for anymore than that,” Bell’s sister Marjorie Black said.

A go fund me page was set up to help with funeral costs.

In two days, it raised $9,550.

The goal was $3,000.

The Sticky Fingers restaurant downtown had a table set for Sandy.

On the table sat an American flag, a vase of roses, and a place card that read “Reserved in Remembrance of Oterious ‘Sandy’ Bell.”