Shirley
Shirley J. Belt
d. August 1, 2022
Shirley J. Belt, 92, left this earth peacefully on Monday, August 1, 2022 to join her husband, G Richard Belt in heaven. She was preceded in death by her biologic parents, Esther and Ernest Harris, her siblings Ernest Harris, Jr and Betty Harris Kephart. Before her first birthday, Shirley’s mother passed away and she was adopted by the Reverend William and Beatrice Smeltzer, who also preceded her in passing. She reconnected with her siblings as an adult in the 1980s and welcomed getting to know her newly found siblings, nieces and nephews. She is survived by her brother, Dr. Kenneth Smeltzer and his daughter, Kristen Schaeffer and her family.
Shirley graduated from the nursing program at Maryland General Hospital in 1950 located in Baltimore, MD where she met the man she would marry. In December 1951, Shirley and G. Richard Belt were married at his parents’ home and shared 67 years of marriage before his passing in 2018.
Dick and Shirley raised 5 children as they moved around the country for his job: Scott (Donna), Mark (Cathy), Sheryl, Bruce (Caroline) and Kerry Lee (Bob); finally settling in Southampton, PA.
She spent most of her nursing career at Doylestown Hospital, Doylestown, PA, retiring in 1978.
She was a member of the Sweet Adeline’s chorus competing and performing in many venues including abroad.
In 1995, Shirley and Dick retired to the Willow Valley Community in Lancaster, PA. They made many friends in their new home, often traveling around the country and abroad enjoying their retirement years. Shirley learned to play golf and took up knitting, making hundreds of baby blankets for a local charity as well as for her 11 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
Shirley lived a long and loving life, she was the glue that held the family together, and she will be sorely missed by her 5 children, 11 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Her family asks for your prayers during this sad time. Private funeral arrangements will be made by her family as she requested.
Shirley graduated from the nursing program at Maryland General Hospital in 1950 located in Baltimore, MD where she met the man she would marry. In December 1951, Shirley and G. Richard Belt were married at his parents’ home and shared 67 years of marriage before his passing in 2018.
Dick and Shirley raised 5 children as they moved around the country for his job: Scott (Donna), Mark (Cathy), Sheryl, Bruce (Caroline) and Kerry Lee (Bob); finally settling in Southampton, PA.
She spent most of her nursing career at Doylestown Hospital, Doylestown, PA, retiring in 1978.
She was a member of the Sweet Adeline’s chorus competing and performing in many venues including abroad.
In 1995, Shirley and Dick retired to the Willow Valley Community in Lancaster, PA. They made many friends in their new home, often traveling around the country and abroad enjoying their retirement years. Shirley learned to play golf and took up knitting, making hundreds of baby blankets for a local charity as well as for her 11 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
Shirley lived a long and loving life, she was the glue that held the family together, and she will be sorely missed by her 5 children, 11 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Her family asks for your prayers during this sad time. Private funeral arrangements will be made by her family as she requested.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Shirley J. Belt, please visit our flower store.
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