Wilma Belcourt

Wilma Elaine Belcourt, 91, of Grand Forks went home peacefully to be with the Lord on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at Valley Memorial Home Woodside Village. Wilma was born in the town of Eckman, North Dakota on November 16, 1917 to Ray and Edith Derr. She was the oldest of nine children. Wilma attended a one room school house in Hurd. After graduating from High School in Lansford, North Dakota, she attended Minot State Teachers college and received her teaching certificate. While teaching she met and married the love of her life, Joseph Rudolphe Belcourt (Rudy) in Westhope on April 10, 1939 where they farmed. Wilma continued teaching for the first years of their married life. While living in Westhope, Wilma became a full time homemaker. As Wilma's faith grew, she converted to Catholicism and joined Rudy and her children in the pew each Sunday. She also became active in the local church's Altar Society. Rudy and Wilma moved to Brocket, North Dakota where Rudy managed his own garage. In 1949, they moved to Lakota where Wilma continued to support her children's activities as a Cub Scout Den Mother, Brownie Scout leader, and a 4-H leader. Wilma continued to teach within her home by raising their children to enjoy nature, sewing, cooking and to not be afraid of hard work. Wilma also enjoyed grafting trees to ensure a variety of fruit trees around the family yard. Wilma fell ill with an undiagnosed disease in 1962. In 1967 they moved to Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wilma gradually became completely physically handicapped such that in 1972 Rudy became her faithful care-giver for the next 40 years. Although a discouraging setback, Wilma and Rudy trusted the Lord would provide and He did. Ladies in the community volunteered daily to have lunch with Wilma and to provide her a refreshing dose of true friendship. Wilma's physical limitations did not hinder her ability to make a difference. She was a strong advocate for keeping the 10-Commandments alive in government buildings, wrote letters regularly to various government officials and was always interested in hearing about the lives of anyone that stopped by for a visit. Shortly after the flood of 1997, Wilma and Rudy moved to Valley Memorial Homes Woodside Village in Grand Forks where they were able to continue sharing their love for each other. Wilma is survived by five faith filled children. Mary (Landis) Stutheit of Puyallup, Washington, Shirley (James) Mootz of Winona, Minnesota, Dorothy (the late Art) Henke of Harvey, North Dakota, Joseph Richard (Mary) of Kansas City, Missouri, and Joseph Rudolph Jr (Susan) of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wilma is also survived by four younger siblings: brother Ken (Maybelle) Derr of Kansas City, Missouri, sister Carole (the late Vernon) Asheim of Mohall, North Dakota, brother Leonard (Margaret) Derr of St Charles, Missouri and sister Kathy (Ed) Haug of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wilma was blessed with 18 grand-children and numerous great and great-great-grand children. Wilma was preceded in death by her devoted husband and dance partner, Rudy, her parents Ray and Edith Derr, sisters Lillian Larson and Peg Oss and brothers Donald Derr and Jerry Derr. Please join us in a celebration of Wilma's life at a funeral mass to be held on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wilma will be buried next to Rudy in Lakota, North Dakota. Visitation will be Monday, September 28, 2009 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. Prayer Service, followed by a Rosary Service at Amundson Funeral home in Grand Forks.