Mildred Ellen Belew

Our dear wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, Millie, 95, passed away on November 18, 2020. She fell asleep and didn’t wake up the next morning. Though we miss her terribly we are thankful for her gentle leaving. Prayers answered. Millie was born on January 21, 1925 to Harold and Grace Swanson in Libertyville, Iowa. She was the only daughter in the family with four brothers. Her surviving brothers remember their “Sis” who was always in the midst of the family mischief. It was this dynamic that assuredly contributed to her fun loving spirit and the can-do attitude that guided her for a lifetime. She was always up for the next adventure. The Swanson family moved up and down the Rock Island Line with their section foreman father until they settled permanently in Fairfield, Iowa. Millie graduated from the Fairfield High School and attended Parsons College. When the war started, Millie moved to Washington DC to join the war effort (she said it was because “that’s where the boys were”). She returned to Fairfield after the war where she met and married her first husband, Mick Ressler. Mick and Millie had two daughters (Pamela and Deborah) and eventually moved to Albuquerque. She worked in the NM Petroleum industry, Albuquerque Public Schools and The Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. Millie was widowed in 1969. She was broken hearted, but she didn’t let that define her life. Nine years later she was blessed with a second love. In 1978 she married Mike Belew. Mike and Millie owned and operated Belew’s Office Supply. They were active members of Tanoan Country Club and St. Stephens Methodist Church. At Tanoan Millie wholeheartedly embraced Mike’s love of golf, becoming “a pretty decent golfer” and eventually President of the Tanoan Golf Club’s Ladies Golf Association. At St. Stephens she was a perennial volunteer participating in the Church’s Project Share for 20 plus years. After 28 years, Mike and Millie sold their business and retired. They enjoyed many years in retirement playing golf and travelling. In 2017, Mike and Millie moved to the Denver area to be near their daughter, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The whole family has been blessed to know the joy of multigenerational love. Millie is survived by her husband, Mike, daughters Pamela Crine (Jim) and Debbie Garcia, grandchildren Jackie Crine (Jared Stehr), Jake Crine (Kimberly), Garret Garcia, Kyle Garcia and nine great grandchildren. There are also two surviving brothers, Ray and Gary Swanson and many nieces and nephews. We celebrate Millie’s life and her love. Millie requested that there be no service. Her family will gather when the snow melts and spread her ashes on a beautiful golf course in Colorado.