Obituary of Horace Belmear JR

Horace E. âHappyâ Belmear Jr., 93, of Morgantown, passed away Thursday, June 3, 2010 at Monongalia General Hospital after a brief illness. Horace was born December 12, 1916 in Bardstown, KY., the son of the late Horace and Julia Miller Belmear. He graduated from Central High School in Louisville, KY in 1936 then attended West Virginia State College where he met and married his sweetheart, Geraldine Carpenter on June 5, 1939. They both graduated in 1940 and began working for the U.S. government. He entered the Navy during WWII where he was a supervisor of the U.S. Naval Swimming and Water Survival Program in Pensacola, FL. He later worked at the Dunbar School in Fairmont, WV as a teacher and athletic coach taking his teams to 3 state titles. He returned to school at WVU to receive his MA from the School of Physical Education. He then worked for the Army Support Detachment at Oakdale, PA helping individuals to attain their GED. He also worked as Director of Admissions at Allegheny Community College in Pittsburgh. In 1971, he became the Director of Foreign Admissions at WVU. He then became Assistant Dean of Admissions and Records in 1979. The next year he began working with the recruitment and retention of African-American students until his retirement in 1993. He has received numerous awards and honors in his lifetime including the WVSC Sports Hall of Fame and the WVU Physical Education Hall of Fame. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Dianne and Bill Derrick of Shaker Heights, OH son and daughter-in-law Michael and Robin Belmear of Morgantown, WV son Tracy Belmear of Stamford, CT. 7 grandchildren, Alex Derrick, William Derrick, Christopher Derrick, Michael Belmear, Andrew Belmear, Julien Belmear and Gisela G. Belmear and 2 great-grandchildren, Azora Derrick and Carson Belmear. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Geraldine Belmear, and his brother Herbert Belmear. Cremation services provided by Hastings Funeral Home. Friends will be received at The Erickson Alumni Center, One Alumni Drive, Morgantown, from 1-3pm on Sunday, July 11, 2010. A memorial service will be held at 3pm in the Alumni Center. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Horace and Geraldine Memorial Scholarship Fund at Fairmont State University 1201 Locust Ave., Fairmont, WV 26554 or West Virginia University, WVU Foundation, One Waterfront Place, PO Box 1650, Morgantown, WV 26507.