Edward S. (Ed) Belan, 93, died peacefully in Tulsa on July 21, 2011. Born Edward Stephan Belan on September 18, 1917, in Chicago, Illinois, he was the son of Stephan and Julia (Sluka) Belan, natives of Slovakia, who met and married in this country. Ed was a member of the 1939 class of Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana, where he met the love of his life, Vera Mae Roth. They were married in November 1940, in San Antonio, Texas, where her family lived. After having begun his career in Fort Worth, Texas, and Kansas City, Missouri, they established their home in Tulsa in the early 1940's. Ed was in the insurance and brokerage business into his eighties and was active in Tulsa business and civic affairs. He was an avid tennis player in his earlier years, a voracious reader, curious and energetic, and a wonderful story-teller. Ed was a loving husband to Vera Mae, who predeceased him in 1997, and they were the devoted parents of their son, Edward "Ned", who died in 1971. Ed and Vera Mae were active in local and state programs benefitting developmentally disabled children. They traveled widely after Ned's death and enjoyed many interests together, including local sports and cultural offerings. Both were longtime members of Boston Avenue Methodist Church in Tulsa. Ed served as a past president of Will Rogers Rotary Club. He was also predeceased by his infant son David and by his sisters, Viola Belan and Olga Belan Aschenbrenner, and nephew Robert Aschenbrenner.

Ed will be missed and remembered with love by his family members who include: his niece Arlene Aschenbrenner (Donald) Christie of New Port Ritchey, Florida, and their children Curt (Christie) of Denver, Chad (Joelle) of Schererville, Indiana, and Carie (Jason Mihalko) of Frankfort, Illinois; grandnieces and grandnephews Tanner, Natalie, Carlie, Cydney, Ryan and Rachel; nephews Fred (Jeanne) Slimp of Seattle and Montana; niece Judith Slimp, of San Antonio; and nephew John (Jill ) Slimp, of San Antonio, and his children Jana (Nicholas), Jean (Nicholas) and John Andrew, grandnephews Andrew, Michael, Cody and grandniece Cammy.

Funeral Mass will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, at the Chapel of Memorial Park Cemetery. Interment will follow.

FITZGERALD IVY CHAPEL (918)585-1151.