William ‘Bill’ Bellinger
February 3, 2018 at 4:17 a.m.
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He was born Feb. 16, 1921, in Walkerton, to Charles and Nina Hardy Bellinger. In 1939, he married Kathryn Jobson at the First Brethren Church in New Paris.
Bill graduated from Walkerton High School in 1939 and joined the Navy in 1942; he served on the destroyer USS Denver. After active duty, Bill stayed in the Naval Reserve until 1976, when he retired as lieutenant commander. He was a Navy Mustang, a title given to a very small number of enlisted men who become officers.
He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business with a Bachelor of Science degree in business.
Bill was the manager of the Farm Bureau Co-op in St. Joseph County before moving to North Manchester in 1964 with the Monsanto Corp. to manage the opening and operation of a new fertilizer plant in Servia. Later that business was sold to the Farm Bureau Co-op, which he managed until his retirement in 1985.
In retirement, he had time for his love of carpentry and built all types of wooden chairs, benches, tables, stepstools and more. He built float boards and was seen many week-ends on many of the local rivers, relaxing and float boarding. Earlier in life, he enjoyed air boating down those same rivers. He also enjoyed gardening.
He was a member of First Brethren Church, North Manchester; Manchester American Legion; the Moose Family Center; the Warsaw VFW; and the Rochester Elks Lodge.
Bill is survived by a daughter, Sharon (Donald) Smith; three grandchildren: Shawn (Shari) Bellinger, Silver Lake; Zachary (Megan) Smith, Warsaw; and Tasia Smith, Warsaw; three great-granddaughters: Regan and Marley Bellinger and Finley Ryan Smith; a great-grandson, Foster Davis Smith; three stepgranddaughters: Tara Smith, Kelley (Travis) Shoaf and Shanna (Eric) Callahan; 13 stepgreat-grandchildren; five stepgreat-great-grandchildren; a daughter-in-law, Jane Bellinger, North Manchester; and his sister, Betty (Don) Sheaks, Clarendon Hills, Ill.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 73 years, Kay; a son, Stephen William Bellinger; a brother, Grant Bellinger; and a sister, Doris (Charles) Wynn.
Family and friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, at McKee Mortuary, 1401 Ind. 114W, North Manchester.
A celebration of life service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, with calling from 10:30 to 11, at the mortuary. Pastor J.P. Freeman will officiate.
Burial will be in Oaklawn Cemetery, North Manchester, at a later date.
*****
Memorials to American Legion, 215 E. Main St., North Manchester, IN 46962; or Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.
Condolences may be sent at mckeemortuary.com.
He was born Feb. 16, 1921, in Walkerton, to Charles and Nina Hardy Bellinger. In 1939, he married Kathryn Jobson at the First Brethren Church in New Paris.
Bill graduated from Walkerton High School in 1939 and joined the Navy in 1942; he served on the destroyer USS Denver. After active duty, Bill stayed in the Naval Reserve until 1976, when he retired as lieutenant commander. He was a Navy Mustang, a title given to a very small number of enlisted men who become officers.
He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business with a Bachelor of Science degree in business.
Bill was the manager of the Farm Bureau Co-op in St. Joseph County before moving to North Manchester in 1964 with the Monsanto Corp. to manage the opening and operation of a new fertilizer plant in Servia. Later that business was sold to the Farm Bureau Co-op, which he managed until his retirement in 1985.
In retirement, he had time for his love of carpentry and built all types of wooden chairs, benches, tables, stepstools and more. He built float boards and was seen many week-ends on many of the local rivers, relaxing and float boarding. Earlier in life, he enjoyed air boating down those same rivers. He also enjoyed gardening.
He was a member of First Brethren Church, North Manchester; Manchester American Legion; the Moose Family Center; the Warsaw VFW; and the Rochester Elks Lodge.
Bill is survived by a daughter, Sharon (Donald) Smith; three grandchildren: Shawn (Shari) Bellinger, Silver Lake; Zachary (Megan) Smith, Warsaw; and Tasia Smith, Warsaw; three great-granddaughters: Regan and Marley Bellinger and Finley Ryan Smith; a great-grandson, Foster Davis Smith; three stepgranddaughters: Tara Smith, Kelley (Travis) Shoaf and Shanna (Eric) Callahan; 13 stepgreat-grandchildren; five stepgreat-great-grandchildren; a daughter-in-law, Jane Bellinger, North Manchester; and his sister, Betty (Don) Sheaks, Clarendon Hills, Ill.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 73 years, Kay; a son, Stephen William Bellinger; a brother, Grant Bellinger; and a sister, Doris (Charles) Wynn.
Family and friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, at McKee Mortuary, 1401 Ind. 114W, North Manchester.
A celebration of life service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, with calling from 10:30 to 11, at the mortuary. Pastor J.P. Freeman will officiate.
Burial will be in Oaklawn Cemetery, North Manchester, at a later date.
*****
Memorials to American Legion, 215 E. Main St., North Manchester, IN 46962; or Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.
Condolences may be sent at mckeemortuary.com.
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