Gerald Lee Belanger

Gerald “Jerry” Lee Belanger, age 85, of Mission Viejo, California, passed away peacefully on October 16, 2025. Born on January 20, 1940, in Torrance, California, Jerry lived a wonderfully full and meaningful life defined by devotion to family, quiet and humble manner, and a steady, generous heart.

At the center of Jerry’s life was his beloved wife, Judith “Judy” (née Clements). Together, they shared 64 remarkable years of marriage — a partnership rooted in love, loyalty, laughter, and unwavering trust. Jerry was a devoted husband in every sense and cherished the life they built side by side.

Jerry was a proud father to three sons: Donald “Don” (Susie), Robert “Bob” (Mary), and William “Bill” (Eva). His greatest joy came from his family, which grew to include eight beloved grandchildren—Katie (Paul), Jennifer (Conrad), Amy, Rhyan (Ricky), Jack, Rukmini, Annika, and Simran—and four cherished great‑grandchildren, Miller, Annie, Rowen, and Quinn. He is also survived by his younger brother, Richard “Rick” Belanger.

Born at Torrance Memorial Hospital, to Kathryn Helen Belanger (née Groleau) and Donald Noe Belanger, he was the first of his clan, now into the 4th generation, to be a native Californian. Jerry’s life was a testament to overcoming obstacles. His youth was made infinitely more challenging by the death of his mother when he was just 13. He then helped raise his younger brother Rick. He attended Junipero Serra High School where he lettered in baseball and was active in student council before graduating in 1957.

One of his first jobs after graduating high school was at the Honeywell Corporation where he met a young administrative assistant who turned out to be the love of his life. This assistant’s name was Judy Clements. They fell in love and married in early 1961.

Jerry’s professional career was one of remarkable accomplishment which took him all over the world. He joined Mattel Toys in 1964 and worked at their Hawthorne, CA headquarters his first 4 years, just several miles from where he’d lived his entire life to that point. However, the next 30 years would see him, at different times, establishing and managing Mattel’s manufacturing operations in Mexico, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Taiwan. He and Judy raised their young family in El Centro, CA, near the US/Mexican border so that Jerry could commute daily to the plant in Mexico. Later on, Jerry and Judy lived in Hong Kong while managing Mattel’s operations there. These were impressive achievements for the young man from Torrance. His willingness to try new things, difficult things, defined and enabled his professional life.

A deeply quiet and private man, he was affable and gregarious with his family and close friends. Family holidays were always a source of joy where reconnecting with all the relatives and good friends showed how deeply family mattered to him. Also, Jerry was never happier than being with his best and lifelong friend, Jay Collins, and their wives Judy and Ginny and their children. Their adventures together – at home, around the US, and internationally – were a constant in Jerry’s life that he treasured.

One of Jerry’s great joys was golf. He was a serious golfer and a golf fan who was both proud and quietly annoyed that Judy was the better golfer. They shared a great deal of time together playing golf and, in later years, watching golf on TV.

Jerry will be remembered as a kind, steady, and loving presence—a man who showed his care through his actions, his dependability, and his quiet strength. His legacy lives on in the family he adored and the many lives he touched simply by being himself.

A memorial service to celebrate Jerry’s life will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at Fairhaven Memorial Park Mortuary, 1702 Fairhaven Avenue, Santa Ana, California 92705.