Joan D. Belliel

Joan Doris Belliel, 88, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, passed away peacefully in Gods loving care on September 28, 2023, surrounded in love by her family.

Joan was born on April 18, 1935, to Ernest and Sarah Rausch in Ionia, Michigan and graduated from Union High School in 1953. She grew up primarily in the Grand Rapids area and lived for a time in Huntsville, Alabama, and Charlottesville, Virginia.

She worked most of her life at various workplaces, including: Steketee’s Department Store, GM Burlingame, Meijer Thrifty Acres, Westinghouse, H&H Plastics, before retiring from Emdin’s USA Baby.

Joan married Charles Belliel on November 13, 1964. Joan and Charles had three children: Nancee, Randy, and Tracy. She was very involved with her kids and their families, and she will be lovingly remembered by her children.

Joan loved trips to visit relatives in Tennessee. She also loved summers up at “the lake” on Big Wabasis Lake, where she cultivated a community of friends and memories that continue to thrive. At Joan’s, there was always a pot of coffee on, endless snacks and pop for the grandkids, and she loved to play card games with family. She took her job as grandma seriously. Making cakes with each on birthdays, coloring together, playing dominoes, playing baseball, and having sleepovers are just some of the highlights. She tried to make it to as many school sports, and art events as she could, and her grandchildren always knew when she was in the audience. In later years, Joan loved watching eagles on the eagle cams on her computer and she was part of a vibrant community of eagle spectators, supporters, and conservationists. Some of those websites included: Tommy’s Live Deer Cam, Boss Bird Live Stream, Dale Hollow Eagle Cam. She also served as a moderator in eagle cam chat rooms. The family would like to thank those websites and their participants that gave her so much joy. She will forever be remembered by all for many things including her famous spaghetti sauce, big hugs, and warm laugh. To know Joan was to know you were loved and she will be deeply missed and never forgotten. 

Joan was preceded in death by her husband Charles Belliel and her parents Ernest and Sarah Rausch. She is survived by her siblings Ken (Sandy) Rausch, Ernestine (Dale) Scheerhorn, children Nancee (Jeff) Slater, Randy (Maureen) Belliel, Tracy (Ken) Elliott, grandchildren Katie (Brent Duncan) Belliel, Kristin (Robert) Wood, Michael Slater, David Slater, Miranda (David) Boomstra, Chase (Megan) Elliott, Casey (Todd) Wilmore, Caitlin (Tate) Jeurink and great-grandchildren Camryn, Ava, Cem, Cruz, Everly, Nash, Knox, and Briggs.

A private service will be held for family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Eagle Foundation, in her name, if possible, an organization Joan felt strongly about, or the American Cancer Society.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joan D. Belliel, please visit our floral store.