062417 Les Bellah (KM)

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Katrina J.E. Milton - kmilton@shawmedia.com<br /> Red, white and blue balloons float into the sky after being released at Les Bellah's celebration of life Saturday at Franklin Township Park in Kirkland. Sixty-eight balloons, one for each year of his life, were released by his grandchildren. Bellah served as the Kirkland Village President from 1997-2005 and from 2008-2017.
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Katrina J.E. Milton - kmilton@shawmedia.com
Red, white and blue balloons float into the sky after being released at Les Bellah's celebration of life Saturday at Franklin Township Park in Kirkland. Sixty-eight balloons, one for each year of his life, were released by his grandchildren. Bellah served as the Kirkland Village President from 1997-2005 and from 2008-2017.

  • Katrina J.E. Milton - kmilton@shawmedia.com<br /> Red, white and blue balloons are released by Les Bellah's grandchildren during his celebration of life Saturday at Franklin Township Park in Kirkland. Sixty-eight balloons, one for each year of his life, were released by his grandchildren. Bellah, who served as the Kirkland Village President from 1997-2005 and from 2008-2017, passed away on Sunday, June 4.
  • Katrina J.E. Milton - kmilton@shawmedia.com<br /> Red, white and blue balloons float into the sky after being released at Les Bellah's celebration of life Saturday at Franklin Township Park in Kirkland. Sixty-eight balloons, one for each year of his life, were released by his grandchildren. Bellah served as the Kirkland Village President from 1997-2005 and from 2008-2017.
  • Katrina J.E. Milton - kmilton@shawmedia.com<br /> Attendees of Les Bellah's celebration of life, hold hands in a circle and sing Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA,” Bellah's favorite song which is played every year during Kirkland's Memorial Day service.
  • Katrina J.E. Milton - kmilton@shawmedia.com<br /> More than 300 people attended Les Bellah's celebration of life held at Franklin Township Park in Kirkland. Bellah, who served as the Kirkland Village President from 1997-2005 and from 2008-2017, passed away on Sunday, June 4, at OSF Saint Anthony's Center for Cancer Care in Rockford surrounded by family.
  • Katrina J.E. Milton - kmilton@shawmedia.com<br /> Bluegrass band Kilbuck performs at longtime Kirkland Village President Les Bellah's celebration of life held Saturday at Franklin Township Park. Bellah performed with the band as a guitarist.
  • Les Bellah's grandchildren hold each other and cry during his celebration of life at Franklin Township Park in Kirkland on Saturday. Bellah, who served as Kirkland village president from 1997-2005 and 2008-2017, died on June 4.
  • Les Bellah's grandchildren hold each other and cry during his celebration of life gathering Saturday at Franklin Township Park in Kirkland. Bellah, who served as the Kirkland Village President from 1997-2005 and from 2008-2017, died June 4.
  • Red, white and blue balloons were released by Les Bellah's grandchildren during his celebration of life Saturday at Franklin Township Park in Kirkland. Bellah, who served as Kirkland village president from 1997-2005 and 2008-2017, died on June 4.
  • Former neighbors of longtime Kirkland Village President Les Bellah look at pictures during his celebration of life gathering Saturday at Franklin Township Park in Kirkland. From left, Herb Johnson and Carol Johnson of Kirkland and Kathy Madsen of Rochelle.
  • Les Bellah's wife of 48 years, Patsy, is comforted by family Saturday the celebration of life gathering as she cries during her granddaughter Lizzie Sechrest's rendition of the song "Lean on Me." Sechrest and Bellah used to sing together often, even singing together in the hospital days before he died.
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