Anthony J. Bellanca
Anthony J. Bellanca, 78, succumbed to his three year battle with Cancer on August 14. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Marianne (Holowinski); four children, Roselie Marie Ruebelman (Charles), Helen Bellanca, James V. Bellanca II (Lisa), and Marie Antonette Bellanca; and four grandchildren, Christopher, Emily, Anya, and Jocelyn.
Bellanca practiced law for more than 50 years in the firm founded by his late father, James V. Bellanca Sr. in 1935, where he joined his brother Peter Bellanca (deceased 1998) in 1964. His brother, James V. Bellanca Jr., joined them, followed by Anthony’s nephews, Steven J. Grobbel, and James V. Bellanca III.
He graduated from the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, received his law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in 1963 and pursued a Masters at Law at the University of Michigan Law School.
Bellanca was dedicated to numerous educational and professional organizations. Active with the Macomb County Bar Association since 1974, he also served as their president. He recommended the formation of and did some of the initial work to establish the Macomb County Bar Foundation where he served as trustee, director and ultimately president.
Bellanca was on the St. Clair Shores Planning Commission for more than a decade. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Catholic Lawyers’ Society and the CYO for many years. He served on the Italian American Cultural Society Board of Directors from 1969 until 1995, serving as its president from 1973 to 1978. He was the first recipient of the Medaglia D’Onore Life Achievement Award in 1987. He was the founding trustee and president of the NOI Foundation from 1996 until his death.
Due to his commitment to the Italian culture and particularly the Italian language, the President of the Republic of Italy first awarded him the title of Cavaliere of the Order of Merit in 1977 and then conferred upon him the title of Commendatore in 2003, one of the highest awards given by the government of Italy to a non-citizen.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests the consideration of a donation to the NOI Foundation, 20480 Vernier Road, Harper Woods, 48225; or to Sacred Heart Parish, 1739 Ferry Ave, Camden, New Jersey 08104. Visitation at Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons Inc, 36900 Schoenherr Road in Sterling Heights, will take place today from 3 to 9 p.m. Funeral Services will be conducted Thursday, Aug. 18, at St. Mary’s Queen of Creation Church, 50931 Maria St. in New Baltimore, with visitation at 10 a.m. followed by mass at 10:30 a.m.
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
https://test.legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
