Jon, Mr. Bellis, JB, Jack, and Dad, will be missed by so many people. It is important that they all know he did not suffer on Friday night under a blue moon in a grassy field in Vermont. He passed into God’s loving hands immediately upon impact. He was a devout lifelong Episcopalian and practiced his faith at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Orange. He served in many capacities, including Treasurer for many years and a member of the Vestry. A memorial service with holy Eucharist will celebrate Jon’s life on Saturday, August 8, 2015 @ 11a at the Church of the Good Shepherd, located at 680 Racebrook Road, Orange, Connecticut. A reception in the true spirit of community will follow under a tent on the side lawn. If you are able to attend, a special dress code is requested. Since Jon's 63rd birthday would have been Sunday, August 9th, summer casual attire is requested. Guests are encouraged to wear shorts and a T-shirt, such as a Yale, Hopkins, CGS and/or Patriot T-shirt. Or if you are a golfer, please wear your favorite golf outfit. Ties and jackets are prohibited. If it helps, his wife and daughter plan to wear their best golf outfits because that is what we did with Jon every year on his birthday. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to a charity of your choice, The Church of the Good Shepherd Youth Ministry, or the Yale Athletic department.
At the time of his death, Jon was employed by Yale-New Haven Hospital as a therapist in the outpatient Psychiatry department. He was also a therapist with Atlantic Health Services. He enjoyed a long career in mental health services, which included staff positions with the Yale Psychiatric Clinic, Clifford Beers Clinic, Norwalk Hospital, Saint Vincent’s Hospital, the Behavioral Health Services at MidState Medical Center, and the Hospital of Saint Raphael. Before pursuing a career in mental health, Jon played professional soccer with the Boston Minute Men and was a teacher at the Hopkins School in New Haven. He was a graduate of Yale University in 1974 where he excelled on the soccer field and basketball court. He received his Masters in Social Work from the Smith School of Social Work in 1984.