PEABODY, Mass. – Edgar J. Bellefontaine, 79, passed April 24, 2010, at Brooksby Retirement Community, due to complications from diabetes. He was born Nov. 28, 1930, in Bangor, son of Edgar William and Catherine Bellefontaine. Edgar grew up in Hampden, where he graduated from Hampden Academy in 1949. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving five years during the Korean War. Edgar earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maine, Orono, in 1958; a law degree at Boston College Law School, in 1961; and accepted the position of chief librarian at Suffolk County Courthouse’s Social Law Library, in 1961. He continued to serve in that capacity until his retirement in 1998. During that time he was a reporter for Massachusetts Judicial Conference Criminal Rules Project, a member of Massachusetts Conference Standing Advisory Committee, as well as the director of Supreme Court Historical Society. He had served on various American Association of Law Library committees, and chaired the AALL Public Relations and Financial committees, as well as AALL Certification Board. Edgar J. Bellefontaine served as president of state, court and county libraries, 1982-1983; and as president of New England Law Library Consortium, 1990-1992. He was a member of American Bar Association, Massachusetts Bar Association and Boston Bar Association, and had won many awards for distinguished service to the legal community. In 1969, Edgar was invited to participate in the Dustin Trans-Polar Flight in commemoration of Rear Adm. Richard E. Byrd’s accomplishments. During this around-the-world trip, he visited many exotic and remote locations. After his retirement, Edgar became librarian emeritus of Social Law Library. Edgar was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by his wife, of 58 years, Greta; daughters, Denise and husband, Fred Columbare, of Malden, Mass., Deborah and husband, Donald Bristol, of Hampden and Yvonne and husband, Richard Ferrelli, of Tampa, Fla.; sons, Trevor and wife, Laurie, of Dracut, Mass., and William and wife, Gail, of Malden, Mass.; as well as 12 adoring grandchildren, Trevor and Kendra Bristol, Elia, Loren and Megan Columbare, Trevor John, Tyler and Julia Bellefontaine, Jacquelyn Bellefontaine, and Richie, Henry and Johnny Ferrelli. A gathering of family and friends will be held 1 p.m. Friday, April 30, at the chapel at Brooksby Village, Peabody, Mass., and 4:30 p.m. May 11 at Social Law Library, Boston. Gifts in his memory may be made to diabetes research.
EDGAR JOHN BELLEFONTAINE
