GLORIA JEAN WATKINS "Bell Hooks" of Berea, KY transitioned to her final chapter on December 15, 2021 after an extended illness, in her home surrounded by family and friends.

Gloria was born on September 25, 1952 in Hopkinsville, KY to Veodis and Rosa Bell Watkins. Although she embraced some Buddhist beliefs she remained a member of Virginia Street Baptist Church.

She was a 1970 graduate of Hopkinsville High School and went on to earn a B.A. from Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA; M.A. from University of Wisconsin Madison; and PhD in Literature from University of CA at Santa Cruz. She gained international fame as an author, feminist, intellectual, and cultural critic.  She published over 40 books and 5 children's books under the pen-name B ell Hooks which she adopted from her maternal great-grandmother Bell Blair Hooks. To date her books are published in over 15 different languages.

Her awards and accolades are too numerous to list but the family wanted to highlight the following:

2001…..International Literary Hall of Fame Inductee

2015….. The bell hooks Institute was established at Berea College in Berea KY

2018….. KY Writers Hall of Fame Inductee

2020….."All About Love :New Visions" made top 10 for paperback of New York Times Best Seller List

2021…..Berea College -Women & Gender Studies Dept was renamed the B ell Hooks Center

Gloria was proceeded in death by her parents and 1 sister, Theresa King

Survivors include brothers Kenneth Watkins- Atlanta , GA; Andrew (Marcia) Watkins-Hopkinsville, James (Twanda) Watkins, sisters Sarah Chambers-Hopkinsville, KY; Valeria Watkins-Berea, KY; Gwenda (Dennis) Motley Hopkinsville, KY; Angela Malone-Tampa, FL; 6 nieces 3 nephew; great nieces and nephews; and 3 great-great nieces