Fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church He admired Thomas Merton and practiced Adoration for over twenty years. Born in Windom, now S.W. Brentwood Mo, also lived in Webster and Maplewood. Son of Austrian Immigrants Frank & Katherine Beletz (nee Katz). Brother of Al Beletz and deceased brothers Frank, John, Frantz, Jack and sisters Anna, Mary, Katherine and Cecilia. Joined Missouri Air National Guard in Jan 1937, was aboard the Cutter Roger B. Taney, now a museum in Baltimore Harbor and the last ship afloat from 1941 Pearl Harbor attack. He also served on the Navy Destroyer Minelayer Robert H. Smith. The ship was struck and damaged by a Kamakaze but downed five at Okinawa and Iwo-Jima. He was awarded three Bronze Battle Stars. He Loved our Ozark Rivers, where he fished, and helped save the Meramec from the Dams. He designed and built cruising and championship olympic canoes. He also taught canoeing and poling. He is survived by his brother Al and Guenther, O'Brien, Booth, Sizemorre, nieces and nephews including Mike, David, Terri, Marty, Doug, Peggy, Kevin & Paul, Jackie, Bill, Tom and Joe. He was a tool & Die Maker-Designer. He built model airplanes winning the National Championships in speed and set a nation record for indoor glider as a member of the Kirkwood Thermaleers. He canoed, loved and fished the Ozark streams. He won the National Canoe Poling Championships and won the first Missouri Slalom Championship on the Meramec. With his brothers he co-funded the Old Meramec Canoe Club, co-authored two books on canoeing, and introduced poling with his brothers as an official sport of the American Canoe Association in 1965. At age 98 he was still riding recumbent tricycles everyday and bicycled nearly his whole life. Service: There will be a Funeral Mass Sat. Mar 21, 10:00 AM at Immaculate Conception Church in Maplewood with visitation at 9:30. Sunday Mar 22, there will be an Irish-Of-The-Balkans-type gathering from 1:00-3:30 pm at the Immaculate Conception Hall with food and refreshments. Then Monday Mar 23 is the interment at Jefferson Barracks National Cem. for 12:30pm. Meet at the Administration office 12:15pm.