Harold Le Roy Bellairs, nicknamed "Hal", was born on a farm near Ogallah, Kansas. The doctor was unable to arrive before Hal's birth, but fortunately a close relative was able to assist in the difficult breach birth. Harold almost died; as it was, the doctor feared that he might be paralyzed or handicapped. However, he proved to be healthy and grew up to assist his father with farming in Colorado and also near Wa Keeny, Kansas.
Hal graduated from high school and college with honors and played the tuba and Sousaphone in marching bands. Hal majored in Milling at Kansas State College in Manhattan, Kansas where he also competed on the college wrestling team. Hal fell head-over-heals in love with Ellen Crippen the first time he saw her at Kansas State-she literally fell down the stairs to take his first phone call! They were married in 1941 after a whirlwind romance. They started their family the next year with the birth of Carol Jeanne. Born the following year were twin girls, Marcia Ann and Susan Ellen; sadly, after only 3 months Marcia Ann passed away due to a heart defect.
Hal served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Following the end of the war, Hal returned to college to finish his degree while he served in the Army Reserves until his resignation as 1st Lieutenant in 1953. Hal began a long career in the milling industry with The Quaker Oats Company, in St. Joseph, Missouri, that later took him and family to such cities as Akron, Ohio; Sherman, Texas and finally Rapid City, South Dakota. It was in Sherman, Texas, ten years after the birth of Marcia Ann and Susan Elizabeth, that they were blessed with twin boys, Charles Todd and Stephen Kent. Except for their brief two-year adventure as proprietor and operator of Custer Floral and Gifts in Custer, South Dakota, Hal's milling career was to take him and Ellen to Des Moines, Iowa; Indianapolis, Indiana and finally, Gilroy, California where he retired at age 70 from Gilroy Foods. Hal continued to reside in Gilroy until his passing.
Hal and Ellen enjoyed 63 years of marriage until Ellen's passing in 2004. Their surviving four children were with Hal at his bedside at home when he passed away peacefully at age 90, Sunday morning, November 6, 2011, after several years of declining health. Hal is also survived by his brother, Donald Bellairs and his wife, Gwen; eight grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 6 great¬great-grandchildren. Hal is now reunited in Heaven with his wife, Ellen, and their daughter, Marcia Ann.
Hal was a faithful Christian, active at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Gilroy where he served as Chief Warden, a licensed Lay Reader and Sunday school teacher. Hal also taught Bible study for over 20 years, and volunteered in the homeless ministry through St. Stephen's Resource Center and through the Armory in town. He encouraged the elderly by conducting services at Gilroy Health Care and serving as a Hospice volunteer.
Hal requested that, in lieu of flowers in his memory, donations be made to
St. Stephen's Resource Center to help the homeless. A memorial service will be held at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church at 3:00 pm, Saturday, November 12, 2011, officiated by Hal's pastor, Reverend Terry, Rector at St. Stephen's. He will be interred, along with his wife, Ellen, at the Riverside National Cemetery ¬Riverside, CA, at a date to be determined.