Bruce BELT

Dr Bruce was a fascinating man, always kind and engaging. He will always be missed.

Dr. Belt was one of the most inspiring, motivating teachers i had throughout my entire school career. He was the kind of teacher that you wanted to do well on the test FOR him, to make HIM proud of you! He was that good! i will always remember his laugh and smile and i am so grateful to have been lucky enough to have known such a wonderful person as Dr. Bruce Belt.

Bruce was a friend & exemplar in my youth & a much appreciated friend of my family. He showed me what a grownup man could be.
Peter Mellini

As an infant I was born with a urologic disorder that in theory should have put a negative atitude to my entire life. Countless pep talks with first Elmer then Bruce Belt made me aware that everybody needs to focus on what they can do for others instead of feeling sorry for themselves. I count the long periods I was permitted to dwell in the De Vinci Library that in those days was in the clinic as the fundemental source of my continued fascination with the topic. The world is lesser place...

Subject: Bruce Memories (and a little Sage)

The pipe! Whenever I smell pipe tobacco I will think of Bruce for the rest of my life!
Flannel shirts tucked in

The metal cup with deer/nature engravings on it that he used for his red wine
Sitting by the fire before dinner having snacks, usually cheese and crackers, and catching up
A big roast beef dinner (sometime ham) that Bruce always carved
How Bruce always served the ladies first and had such nice...

The following was written by Breen Byrnes, the daughter of Bryant and Mary Byrnes and brother of Clay Byrnes. Bryant was invited to dinner at the Belts' LA home in the mid 1960s when he was 15 years old. Smitten by his hosts' spontaneity and warmth, he never really left that dinner table.

Upon the move by the senior Belts to Santa Ynez in the early 1990s, the Byrneses would visit several times a year. Some of Clay's and Breen's fondest memories growing up were the times spent...

Dr. Belt was the kind of teacher everyone wished they could have. He loved his students and his students loved him, but more importantly he made learning fun (and how many can say that about Latin?) He will be missed.

Dr Belt was the most inspirational teacher I ever had. He commanded respect and trust through his kindness and concern for all his students whilst engaging those he taught with his contagious enthusiasm for knowledge. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. (Brentwood Class of '81)

I was a student at Brentwood in the early 80s and have the fondest of memories of Dr. Belt....class in the trailers; his throaty, delicious laugh; putting a tooth back in his mouth with airplane glue; cheering on the girls' basketball team; the pipe and red plaid shirt; and being a steady presence in the craziness that is adolescence. How fortunate I am for having known him. With much love to him and his family,
Adrienne Hamcke Wicker (Class of '82)