Ralph Bellas, Sr. Obituary (1924

Ralph Albert Bellas, of Bloomington, passed away on August 2, 2023, at the age of 98, at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington. Ralph was born on September 22, 1924 in the small mining town of Tomhicken, PA. He was one of six children born to Stephen M. Bellas and Irene E. (Shimko) Bellas. Ralph's parents owned a small general store and gas station in Tomhicken, where Ralph had responsibilities from an early age. Ralph graduated from West Hazleton High School in Hazleton, PA. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps 566th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion in England, France and Germany (1944-1946). He then earned a Bachelor's Degree in English from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he met Louise Stork in a history class. They married in 1949. Ralph subsequently worked as a librarian for Lancaster, PA newspapers, before earning a Master's Degree in English at the University of Pennsylvania. Later, he earned a Ph.D. in English at the University of Kansas. While completing his dissertation, Ralph taught at Villanova University and served as director of the writing program. In 1965, he accepted the position of Assistant Professor of English at Illinois State University, and he and Louise moved their family of six children to Normal, Illinois. While at I.S.U., Ralph taught courses and published in the areas of writing and literature, with a focus on British romantic writers. He led student exchange programs to Brighton, England and Nagoya, Japan where he became particularly interested in the Haiku form of poetry. Ralph retired from I.S.U. in 1979 as a Professor Emeritus of English. During retirement, Ralph and Louise served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Fiji, where Ralph taught at the University of the South Pacific. Ralph also wrote a history of Mennonite College of Nursing (1985-1995), for which he received the Mennonite Nurses Alumni Organization's Service Award. Ralph and Louise traveled extensively around the world and in the U.S. In addition to reading and writing prose and poetry, Ralph enjoyed tennis, running, sailing and photography. Throughout his life, Ralph remained curious and found fulfillment in engaging with people from different cultures and all walks of life. Ralph was predeceased by Louise, his wife of 72 years, and five siblings: Jack Bellas and Alice Santora, both of Monterey Park, CA, Irene Bellas, of Tomhicken, PA, who died at age nine, and Elizabeth Bellas and Stephen Bellas, of Tomhicken, PA, both of whom died in infancy. Ralph is survived by his six children: Christine Bellas (Quinn Loucks) of Mercer Island, WA; Ralph Bellas, Jr. (Connie) of rural Stanford, IL; Marcia Bellas (Rick West) of Worcester, VT; Gregory Bellas (Kirsten Setterholm) of Berkeley, CA; Kimberly Bellas (Benoit Nault) of Tucson, AZ; and Laurence Bellas (Susan) of Erie, CO; six grandchildren: Nathan Giles, Ryan Giles, Eric Bellas (Angie) of Bloomington, IL, Adam Bellas (Katie) and Justin Bellas (Cassie) of rural Stanford, IL, and Maiya Loucks (Casey Madayag) of Lynnwood, WA; as well as seven great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Donations in Ralph's memory may be made to the Ralph and Louise Bellas Scholarship Fund to support students in international nursing exchanges. Checks made payable to I.S.U. Foundation (with Fund Number 5816009 in memo line) can be sent to Mennonite College of Nursing/Illinois State University, University Advancement, Campus Box 8000, Normal, IL 61790-8000. Ralph's memorial mass will be held at 10 am on Thursday, September 7, 2023 at St. Patrick Church of Merna. There will be no visitation. Cremation rites have been accorded. Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com.