Obituary of Willard N. Belden Jr.

Lewiston, NY Willard N. Belden, Jr. (Binx), born August 24, 1931 in Niagara Falls, NY was the son of Willard N. Belden and Hazel (Gardner) Belden. He married Dolores M. Burke (Dodie) of St. Catharines, Ontario in 1959. They resided in Lewiston, NY and became Florida residents after their move to Naples in 1998 and later returned to live in Lewiston once again. He was a Class of 1949 member of Niagara Falls High School and graduated from Hamilton College in 1953. He volunteered for the US Army in 1953. After his military service, he attended Cornell Law School and graduated in 1958. He practiced law in Niagara Falls, NY until his retirement in 1998. He was also President of Belden Real Estate and Insurance in the Town of Niagara. He served on the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Board of Trustees, the Niagara University Advisory Board and the Board of Governors of the Niagara Falls Country Club. Binx had a keen interest in the history of Niagara Falls and Niagarabilia. His interests included jazz, golf, growing eggplant, a few hands of blackjack at the Seneca Niagara Casino, surfing the Net and keeping up with his kids and grandchildren, not necessarily in that order. He was preceded in death by his wife Dodie who died December 26, 2009 in Naples, FL and his sister Sue Belden (Ransom) Rice. He is survived by three daughters, Mary Lou (Frank) Rizzo of Tonawanda, NY, Betsy (Kenneth) Eagan of Lewiston, NY, Jill (Stephen) Smith of Lewiston, NY and one son, Willard Neil Belden III (Uraiwan) of Herndon, VA. He is also survived by six grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. A Celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to HART Inc. interfaith at hartprogram.org. Arrangements entrusted to HARDISON FUNERAL HOMES INC. Lewiston. Please visit www.hardisonfuneralhomes.com for online condolences.