My father, Leonard Bellew, Sr., passed away at the age of 82 on Saturday, the 5th of December at around 11:30 in the morning. He had been diagnosed a few months earlier with Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a type of pre-Leukemia. He passed in his own bed at home. He was comfortable, in no pain, lucid, and surrounded by his family. One couldn't hope for a better transition to the next world.

He was born in Altoona, Alabama in 1927. He joined the Navy when he was only 15 to fight in WWII. They released him when they discovered his age, but he re-enlisted at 17 to join the Merchant Marines. It must have been really frightening to haul cargo across the Pacific in those lightly armed vessels with the constant fear of Japanese attack. He continued to work as a merchant seaman for a few years after the war, then returned to Alabama where he drove a cement mixer for the next 45 years.

My friends always said that my dad was a really cool guy. I didn't see it at the time, but I certainly see it now. Here's hoping that the Crimson Tide takes the National Championship as he loved Alabama football all his life and it would certainly be meaningful to his memory.

I'm still a little numb and don't have much else to say now. I apologize for my absence from the site and as soon as I resolve some problems with my home computer, I'll start posting regularly again.

Thanks,
Leo