William Belcher

March 26, 1928 - August 25, 2014
William "Bill" Charles Belcher passed away peacefully on August 25, 2014. William lived each day devoted to the love he shared with his beloved wife of 59 years, Charlotte Menger Belcher, who preceded him in death on April 7, 2011. William was born on March 26, 1928 at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Family heritage fascinated Belcher, tracing his family roots to 1634 in Braintree, Massachusetts and to the Belcher Sugar Refinery in St. Louis, Missouri, founded in 1844. He was the son of Dr. George Wilson Belcher and Susan Harper Belcher McCune. He was the youngest of three children, with siblings Mary Belcher McFetridge and George Wilson Belcher (deceased). Dr. Belcher died of smoke inhalation in the Cleveland Clinic disaster of May, 1929, after rescuing countless patients from the burning hospital. The family of four later relocated to Texas where William's mother married World War I Purple Heart recipient Murray Mars McCune in March of 1936. McCune was a devoted husband and father to William and his siblings. William use to say, "Daddy married our family." William enjoyed trips to his mother's family farm in Butler, Mo. and summers with his grandparents, Bates Co. Judge Elias Columbus Harper and Nellie Bentley Harper were cherished memories for William his entire life. It was probably there that he developed his lifelong love of animals, particularly dogs.

William attended Alamo Heights schools in San Antonio but graduated from Berkeley High School in California. At 17, he enlisted in the Marine Corp. After his service, he graduated in 1951 from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor's Degree in Science. He married Charlotte, the love of his life, in December of 1951. They had three daughters. Nancy Menger Belcher Draves, husband Tim; Janie Menger Belcher Loontjer, husband Gaylon; and Patricia Menger Belchere. William joined the Army and served in the Korean War. After the war, he worked as a landscape architect in San Antonio, one of his works of art was Trinity Baptist Church. Later he worked as a civilian landscape architect at Fort Sam Houston and in the mid '60s for Strategic Air Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. At SAC he traveled nationally as well as internationally, advising US base commanders as a skilled architect, forester and agronomist. When he retired in April of 1983 he was recognized by the Department of the Air Force for 30 years of faithful service to the U. S. Government. William liked to say he served the Marines, the Army and the Air Force and all of this service made him feel proud. After retirement he returned to San Antonio, where he worked with Ross Palmer as a landscape architect and enjoyed the rest of his years with Charlotte and family.

As a young man he enjoyed hunting and fishing with his father-in-law Rudolph Menger, the Menger brothers and Walter Steubing on the Steubing's ranch in San Antonio. William, Charlotte and the girls spent most summer vacations at Port Aransas fishing and swimming, something they later enjoyed sharing with their grandchildren Jennifer Bramble, Timothe Bramble, Garrett Loontjer, Melissa Loontjer Pruske, and Aaron Senkbeil. He was thrilled to be the great grandfather of Alessandra, Isabel, Cash, Scarlett, Brynn, Brooke, and Wyatt.

A sense of duty served Belcher his entire life all of which carried over into the love and commitment he felt for his family who he always put first!

He is survived by his daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sister Mary McFetridge, nephews Col. Donald McFetridge and Robert McFetridge, and niece Charlotte Menger Harpole.

Belcher was a member of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church. Graveside services will be held Wednesday, September 17th at 10:30 A.M. at the Menger Family Plot, Mission Park Funeral Chapels South, 1700 SE Military Dr. A reception will follow in the Shalom Room, St. Mark's Church, 1602 Thousand Oaks Drive, San Antonio.


For personal acknowledgement you may sign the guest book at www.missionparks.com in the obituary section.