Pauley Perrette's Mother Donna Bell Lives on through the Star's Bakeshop and Book

Donna Bell was Pauley Perrette's mother, whom she loved immensely and saw when the older woman was at the height of her cancer battle. The actress keeps Bell's memory alive in the most touching ways.

Not much is known about Pauley Perrette's mother, Donna Bell, but some information has been circulated. For instance, Perrette shared some information about her mother in the actress' 2015 recipe book, "Donna Bell's Bake Shop," with stories about her friends and family.

The star revealed that Bell had the sweetest eyes and sparkling blue eyes. She said her mother, who was born and raised in Alabama, had a love for Southern cooking and baking. Perrette's mother was married to her father, Paul, who was an Alabama firefighter.

On June 2023's Father's Day, the actress discussed her late father by sharing an Instagram photo of them. She revealed that she lost him to COVID-19 and missed him dearly because he was her world. The late parent visited his daughter yearly for a month on his birthday and Thanksgiving.

As closely bonded as Perrette was with her father, she seemed to have an equally tight bond with her mother, whom she once described as a "lovely Southern gal." For 2019's Mother's Day, the actress paid tribute to her parent by uploading an adorable X (formerly Twitter) picture of her lying on Bell's chest as a child.

At that point, Bell had long passed but is clearly not forgotten as the star wished all mothers a Happy Mother's Day before revealing that she was one of the people who missed their late parent.

Here's more information about the actress' mother and how Pauly Perrette honored her in a big way.

How Did Pauley Perrette Remembers Her Mother

In her book, Perrette revealed how her father moved Bell home for hospice when her cancer diagnosis got worse. The star painfully recalled how she sat by her ill mother's bed and would watch her, noting how "tiny" the parent now was, adding:

"She had lost all her hair."

The actress thought her mother looked like a broken baby bird with her sheets serving as her nest. Perrette always remembered the life lessons her mother taught, and in a 2019 X post, she shared pictures of herself in 2008 and 2018 for the social media platform's ten-year challenge.

Perrette said she was a good child but could always find something to apologize for.

The "NCIS" star shared with her followers that she only used soap and Vaseline on her face. Giving credit to her mother, she said Bell was "so much more beautiful" and had the "not aging gene," but cancer sadly ended her life first.

Besides paying tribute to her late parent on social media and naming her recipe book after her, Perrette also opened Donna Bell's Bake Shop, named after her mother, with her two best friends. The "Broke" star, Matthew Sandusky, and Darren Greenblatt co-own the New York store.

The shop's website said they specialized in natural Southern baked foods. Greenblatt works behind the counter, while Sandusky is the head baker who makes recipes inspired by Bell's cooking.

Perrette only visited the store on special occasions where she worked the counter and bonded with her friends. Over the years, the actress hasn't stopped honoring Bell, and on December 19, 2022, she celebrated the day that would've been her mother's birthday.

The celebrity shared several images of herself as a child with her mother and revealed the parent died twenty years ago. She lamented about wishing she could've known Bell now as an adult and not the "knucklehead" she used to be, confessing:

"Got a lot to say to her and to apologize for when I meet up with her in Heaven!"

Pauley Perrette said she was a good child but could always find something to apologize for. However, she holds on to her parents' frequent visits in her dreams, and the night before, they enjoyed themselves thoroughly on a speed boat. The actress concluded her touching post by declaring her undying love for Bell.