EARNEST J. BELT SR.

Earnest J. “Joe” Belt Sr., of Dowagiac, passed away on March 9, 2026, at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids following a long illness.

His memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 13 at Duffield & Pastrick Family Funeral Home in Coloma, with visitation beginning one hour prior to the service. Online guestbook available at www.duffieldpastrick.com.

Joe was born Feb. 26, 1949, in Mountain Home, AR to William and Lida (Cox) Belt. After graduating from Bakersfield (MO) High School, he served with the United States Army in Vietnam. After leaving the Army, he relocated to Hartford, eventually retiring from the U.S. Postal Service in Benton Harbor. Joe was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing and raising Beagles. He also loved spending time with his family, especially his great grandchildren.

He is survived by brothers Amos (Marian) Belt of Bakersfield, MO, Arthur (Glenda) Belt of Nevada, MO; sisters Sharon (Jerry) Teeters of Hartford, Ann (Ronnie) Osborne of Dowagiac, Alice (Bill) Neal of Caulfield, MO; daughter Bethany Hand and son-in-law Tony Danneffel of Dowagiac; son Earnest J. (Christina) Belt, of Woodbury, TN; grandchildren Evan (Amanda) Belt of Mineral Ridge, OH, Lucas Hand of Kalamazoo, Jackie (Isaiah) Cowan of Dowagiac; Eric Belt of Woodbury, TN, Toby (Sydney) Danneffel of Dowagiac, and Tyler (Alisha) Danneffel of Benton Harbor; great-grandchildren Sophia DeMarco of Mineral Ridge, OH, Nora Hand of Dowagiac, Avery Cowan of Dowagiac, and Elizabeth Cowan of Portage.

He was preceded in death by Ramona (Tallon) Belt, his wife of 50 years; brothers James Belt, William Bowen, Marra Bowen, Manuel Belt and Marvin Belt, and sisters Jackie (James) Sumners and Barbara (Richard) Lamb, and grandson Trevor Danneffel.