David Joseph Bellew

David, “Doc” as he was known to his many friends, patients, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, passed away on July 7, 2024 after a four-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

David was the second born to parents Richard (Dick) and Priscilla Bellew in El Dorado, AR. After graduating from dental school at the University of Tennessee he served in the Army as a Captain. He was stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana and Fort Bliss in Texas. Upon his honorable discharge, he established his dental practice in El Dorado, AR. He was very active in improving children’s dentistry in Arkansas, serving on many statewide boards and visiting schools to teach students how to care for their teeth. He often said that a dentist’s job was to work their way out of the job by teaching proper dental care at a young age. These beliefs often led to the embarrassment of his children when he handed out toothbrushes and dental floss on Halloween or sugar free candy, which in the 1970s was a child’s least desirable treat. 

In the early 1980s, he moved his dental practice to Shreveport, LA where he continued to practice until he was 83 years old. Doc had a genuine love of people and dentistry, and his patients loved him very much; many made the two-hour drive to Shreveport from El Dorado to continue seeing him as their dentist after he moved. His generous spirit was displayed often in his willingness to take anything for payment from people who struggled to afford necessary dental work, even once accepting a 100lb bag of rice as payment from someone needing help. After closing his private practice in 2007, he continued his love of dentistry by working at David Raines Community Health Center until 2020.

While in El Dorado he was very active in Boy Scouts with his sons. He served as a Scout Master for Troop 23 and leader of the Order of the Arrow. He was known for never swamping a canoe even in the fastest water that would swamp the other canoes. His love for the outdoors and nature continued when he joined the Ozark Society years later. 

David had a love of aviation that started with him receiving his private pilot’s license with a fixed wing rating in the 1970s and continuing through the 1990s when he received his Hot Air Balloon rating. He participated in numerous balloon rallies with his own balloon “Eagle Flight” and made many friends through the sport. His love of aviation led to his favorite hobby of designing and building remote-controlled airplanes. These designs led to him forming a company that manufactured kits to sell to other hobbyists. 

David met his wife Judy when he was coerced by his friend and fellow Ozark Society member, Jim Overton, into attending “just one” ballroom dance at Kings Hwy Christian Church to be a partner for the many women who simply loved to ballroom dance and needed a partner to lead them around the dance floor. Soon after, the Eagle Flight balloon adventures and Ozark Society canoeing took a back seat to ball room dancing as he and Judy took lessons and danced every chance they had. With David’s adventurous spirit, his children were glad he took up dancing rather than buying a tuna boat to try out some fishing. David and Judy had 24 wonderful years together, living each day together to the fullest.

David was an early polio victim in the 1940’s and that drew him to the Rotary International organization which later carried the torch for the eradication of polio. David and Judy became increasingly more involved in Rotary over the years. David served as president of the Rotary Club of South Shreveport in 2003-2004 and in 2007-2008 served as District Governor of Rotary District 6190. They made lifelong friends with Rotarians locally and around the world as they traveled to Turkey and to several Rotary International Conventions.

David is survived by his loving wife, Judy Bellew of Shreveport, LA; children, David Bellew (Melissa) of Alexander, AR, Mike Bellew of Dallas, TX, Chris Bellew (Jill) of Dallas, TX, Matthew Bellew (Shelby) of Little Rock, AR and Melanie Miles of Irmo, SC. In addition, he had seven grandchildren. Also surviving him are his bonus children, Jodie Mueller-Reynolds (Jeff), Allen Plummer, III (Aimee) and their children and grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Richard W. Bellew, Jr. 

A special thank you to The Bridge Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center for their countless support and continued efforts to provide resources to caretakers and “their person” and to Dr. Meghan Harris and her staff at WK Pierremont Neurology Clinic. The family would like to give a heartfelt thank you to the WK Pierremont 6th Floor, Bristol Hospice and Elite Health Solutions for the genuine kindness, love and respect shown to our beloved “Doc”. 

A memorial service will be held at Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 3715 Youree Dr, Shreveport, Louisiana on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. with visitation to follow at the church. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Upper Room Sunday School Class of Broadmoor United Methodist Church. Officiating the service will be Reverend Dr. Wybra Price, Reverend Megan Twyman and Reverend Dr. Greg Davis.

In keeping with his generous nature, David donated his body to science in the hope that he may be of some help in Alzheimer’s research. The family would be honored by memorials, given in his name, to: Broadmoor United Methodist Church, 3715 Youree Dr., Shreveport, LA 71105 or to The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center, 851 Olive St., Shreveport, LA 71104 or to the favorite charity of their choice.

David leaves all of us on this side of Heaven with the Rotarian motto he tried to live each and every day, Service Above Self. 

For now, until we see each other again, Over & Out from Eagle Flight.