James Richard Belisle, 83, passed away September 7, 2018 surrounded by his loving family. Jim fought his extended illness with courage, grace, and spirit that epitomized his entire life. A funeral mass will be held 10 a.m. Friday, September 14, 2018 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in West Des Moines with burial at Resthaven Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at McLaren’s Chapel in West Des Moines with a prayer service at 7 p.m.
Jim was born August 27, 1935, in Duluth, MN, to Chester and Arlyne (Santerre) Belisle. He attended DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis, MN and went on to attend the University of Minnesota. Jim served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and was stationed in Alaska. He worked at Midwestern Paper before founding Valley Papers, a wholesale fine paper company. Jim was a charter member of the Association of Independent Printing Paper Merchants. He was an active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in West Des Moines and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Naples, FL. Jim was also and member of St. Vincent De Paul Society in Des Moines and Naples, FL
He was a lifelong golfer who had 7 holes-in-one and shot a 66 to lead the Iowa Amateur in 1967. Jim’s greatest pleasure in golf was passing along his love of the game to his daughters and grandchildren. As a young man he excelled at skiing, ski jumping, and hockey. Jim also enjoyed fishing, watching golf, football and westerns. He was very devoted to his wife and family. Jim was a man of honor, integrity, faith, and family.
Jim is survived by his wife, Carole; four daughters, Katy (Tim) Demarais of South Bend, IN, Stephanie (Mike) Pyle of West Des Moines, Julie (Sean) McMurray of Clive, and Tracy (Troy) Strawhecker of Clive; grandchildren, Brooks, Morgan, and Connor Demarais, Max Pyle, Andrew (Betsy), Alex (Shannon), Nick, and Sam McMurray, Quincy, George, and Hale Strawhecker, and; great-grandchild, Harrison McMurray; and brother, Jack (Kathy) of South Lyon, MI.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in West Des Moines, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Naples, FL, or St. Vincent de Paul in Des Moines or Naples, FL.
