Saturday
22
March
Memorial Service
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Saturday, March 22, 2025
est Sand Lake Community Church
4363 NY-150
WEST SAND LAKE, New York, United States
Obituary of Joan Ann Bellanger
JOAN ANN BELLANGER
1937 ~ 2025
On March 7, 2025, at the age of 87, Joan Bellanger entered into the glorious presence of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at her home in Stuyvesant, NY. In her last days, she was surrounded by her loving family.
On November 1, 1937, Joan Ann Dixon was born in Manhattan, NY, to the late Gerald Dixon and Ella (Graf) Dixon Sharp. Joan grew up in Voorheesville, NY, and graduated from Voorheesville High School in 1955. On February 26, 1959, she married her beloved Donald Bellanger; and they spent 50+ years together in the countryside of Stuyvesant, NY, until his passing in 2015. They were married for 56 years. Joan remained in Stuyvesant 10 more years until her passing. She was especially close to her mother-in-law Grace, who lived next door; they were dear friends, until Grace’s passing in 1996.
Joan loved dancing and singing. She could really cut a rug – jitterbugging was her favorite! She had a beautiful voice and taught her 4 daughters to sing from the time they were very young. In 1978 Joan had lost over 100 lbs and began working as a “lecturer” for the Weight Watchers company – a part-time job she was very passionate about. After being a homemaker and raising their 4 daughters, Joan attended college and earned her degree in accounting from Columbia-Greene Community College in 1983 – at the age of 45! She and her daughter Joanne (Joie) graduated from college together! She went on to work at Pine Haven Nursing Home in Philmont, NY, from where she retired. After retiring, Joan and Donald toured the US and Canada in their motorhome working as volunteers at various national parks and wildlife refuges. They also enjoyed some international travel – including a few cruises. During those times, she enjoyed writing and mailing a newsletter of their travels and adventures. That later turned into her love for
updating her Facebook friends every night of the day’s happenings!
In 2022, Joan began attending West Sand Lake Community Church in West Sand Lake, NY, with her daughter Brenda and husband Tim – where she found her beloved church family. In the summer of 2023, she was baptized in a local lake with all of her family there to witness.
She leaves behind daughters Terri Bellanger, Donna Gleason (Dave Hamm), Joanne (the late Jim) DeFayette, and Brenda (Tim) Embry. She was Meema to her 7 grandchildren: “BJ” Gleason; TJ (Chevette), Leighanna, and Rebecca Embry; Nathan (Laura Johnston), Jared, and Owen DeFayette. She also leaves behind her sisters-in-law Rosemary Bellanger, Beverly “Susie” Holsopple, several nieces and nephews; and many dear friends. And lastly, she leaves behind her beloved and faithful dog Annabelle.
Besides her parents, Joan was preceded in death by her beloved husband Donald; her brother Gerald D. Dixon (Diane); her father-in-law John Bellanger and her mother-in-law Grace (Gladden) Bellanger; her son-in-law Jim DeFayette; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law John (Jean) Bellanger, Robert (Barbara) Bellanger, Richard (Hellen) Bellanger, Ralph Bellanger and Ken Holsopple.
A memorial service for Joan will be held at 11:00am on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at West Sand Lake Community Church, 4363 NY-150, West Sand Lake, NY (Rensselaer County) 12196. A luncheon will follow. And then this summer, Joan and Donald will be laid to rest together at Saratoga National Cemetery, where a military service will commemorate Donald's honorable service.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan’s Purse – a favorite ministry of Joan’s. They need donations to ship shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, etc. to children around
the world.
Cremation Arrangements have been entrusted to Simple Choices, Inc. Fond memories and expressions of symapthy may be shared with the Bellanger Family, online at: SimpleChoicesCremation.com
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