MEL BELENSON
“Vince”
Mel “Vince” Belenson passed away peacefully at the age of 83 on October 27, 2024. He is survived by his wife Ingrid; sons Alex (Jennifer) and Matt (Trish); granddaughters Avery and Maddie; and brothers Dennis (Barbara) and Bruce. He was preceded in death by his parents William and Pearl, as well as brother Stewart. Vince was born in Detroit, second of four boys. His family moved to California when he was four and he grew up in a fairly typical working class California family. From an early age he loved theatre and storytelling, putting on plays and performances with kids in the neighbourhood, and listening to old time radio shows. These passions stayed with him throughout his life. Notes written in his high school yearbook thanked him for his friendship and help with homework, foretelling his primary career path as a teacher. After serving in the US Army in Germany, Vince travelled throughout Europe, the Mediterranean and Mexico, meeting his wife Ingrid on a boat to Greece. Vince taught in Waldorf schools for more than 30 years, co-founding the Marin Waldorf School in California, teaching for 20 years at the Toronto Waldorf School and consultant teaching one to three years each at schools in Russia, Germany, London, ON and Ottawa, ON. During his time in Toronto, Vince and family visited Manitoulin and he began to spend summers on the Island. After retirement, Vince built a home on Manitoulin, joined the Writers’ Circle, was active in the Farmers’ Market, was involved with the food network, joined the Rotary Club, learned to ice fish, and found a home in the Gore Bay Theatre where he had roles in the summer productions for a decade before his health began to fail. We are extremely grateful to the caregivers who have taken care of Vince and our mom, and to the special friends who stopped in to see him and brought him so much joy and respite in his final years. He will be missed.
