BELLEW MR. HOWARD ESTEL BELLEW, beloved husband of Mrs. Mid Bellew of Lethbridge, formerly of Milk River, passed away at the Chinook Regional Hospital on Saturday, October 16, 2010 at the age of 89 years. Howard was the third of five children born to Estel Bellew and Elizabeth Bellew Swanson and was born on April 9, 1921 in Redford, Saskatchewan. The family returned to the United States where the youngest child was born and then located to Handel, Saskatchewan where they lived until 1933. In 1933, Howard and his family completed a month-long trip by Bennett-buggies and came to live in Milk River which was home for 77 years. He completed his education in the Milk River district.
Howard married Mildred (Mid) Kuhl on March 3, 1943 and they raised their four children on the farm one mile south on the Milk River. He drove school buses for over 35 years and farmed. Howard greatly enjoyed raising his cattle, horses and having Labrador-Chesapeake dogs. Pleasure for Howard was being outside on his land working with livestock, haying, tending hundreds of trees in shelterbelts and later working with his son Lloyd Bellew on the farm. He also enjoyed the laughter, friendships and amazing meals that were a part of the many family associations within the very close Bellew and Kuhl families. Howard also enjoyed watching the Edmonton Oilers hockey games and was a devoted fan for many years. Howard and Mid retired to the town of Milk River when the Alberta Government purchased the farmstead to expand Highway 4. They moved to the Golden Acres Lodge in Lethbridge in 2009. Howard is survived by his wife, Mid, of 67 years, daughter Janet (Daryl) Schwartzenberger of Warner, son Lyle Bellew of Lethbridge, daughter-in-law Wendy Zeller of Milk River, sister Elsie Grisak of Lethbridge, sisters-in-law Dorothy Thielen of Milk River, Helen Swanson of Maple Ridge, BC and Rowene Kuhl of Milk River, brother-in-law Bob Darling of Milk River and his best friend/best man Harold Richards of Sundrie, Alberta. He is also survived by 10 much loved grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and many appreciated nieces and nephews. Howard was predeceased by his parents, daughter Sharon, sons Raymond and Lloyd, daughter-in-law Janet Bellew Spencer, granddaughter Colleen Bellew, sisters Frances (Ernie) Swanson and Ethelena (Vic) Thompson, brother Bob Swanson, brothers-in-law Frank, Cliff, Ken (Lenore) Kuhl, Bob Thielen and Mike Grisak and his sister-in-law Myrt (Bill) Theodore. A Visitation will be held prior to the Funeral Service at ST. PETER’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, 321 Main Street, Milk River, Alberta on Friday, October 22, 2010 from 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held at ST. PETER’S CATHOLIC CHURCH on Friday, October 22, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. with Pastor Brian Amison officiating. Cremation to follow. Honoured to serve the family, CORNERSTONE FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORIUM, 2800 Mayor Magrath Drive South, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 7B1. Telephone (403) 381-7777. E-mail: care@cornerstonefh.ca