Saturday, August 13, 2005 at his home.
He was born in East Hardwick, VT on July 26, 1928 the son of Napoleon and
Claire (LeClerc) Bellavance and had resided in Claremont most of his life.
He lived in Lebanon for a number of years and attended Sacred Heart School
and went to four years at Miramar in Duxbury, MA Divine Word Seminary. Mr.
Bellavance moved to Wilder, VT where he built Gerry's IGA and ran it for
thirteen years before moving to Claremont. He had stores in Claremont,
Keene, Bellows Falls, VT and Winooski, VT. He retired in 1980 to raising
horses and cattle for fourteen years before wintering in Winter Haven, FL.
His love was his faith, his family and helping others. Mr. Bellavance
served on St Mary School Board and the Claremont School Board in the 70"s.
The surviving family includes his wife, Majella A. "Midge" (Trottier)
Bellavance of Claremont whom he married on August 1, 1948; four sons, Peter
Bellavance of Minnesota, Steven Bellavance of Chesterfield, Gerry
Bellavance of Newport and Dale Bellavance of Newbury; three daughters,
Jeanne Demars of Acworth, Mary Ann Ouellette and Janet Millette both of
Claremont; fifteen grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; seven brothers,
Julian Bellavance of Plainfield, Fernand Bellavance of Bridgeport, CT,
Robert Bellavance of Berlin, Roland Bellavance of Wilder, VT, John Paul
Bellavance, Raymond Bellavance and Adrianne Bellavance all of Lebanon; four
sisters, Cecile Carr of Lebanon, Margaret Bates of Lyme, Madeleine Edwards
of Enfield and Pauline Grant of Canaan; also several nieces, nephews and
cousins.
He was pre-deceased by one brother, Argena Joseph Bellavance on June 28,
1994.
Friends may call at the Stringer Funeral Home, 146 Broad Street on Monday
afternoon and evening from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 PM where a celebration of his
life will be held and the rosary will be prayed at 6:30 and 7:30 PM.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday morning, August 16th
at Eleven O'clock in St Mary's Church with Very Rev. Father Shawn M.
Therrien, V.F. Pastor, officiating.
Interment will follow in St Mary's Cemetery.
The family suggest that donations may be made in his memory to St Mary's
Church, 32 Pearl Street, Claremont, NH or Connecticut Valley Home
Care/Hospice, 958 John Stark Highway, Newport, NH 03773-2609