Donald Belman

Waukesha lost its most loved homebuilder. On December 17, 2019, Donald F. Belman passed away peacefully in his home in Sun City West, Arizona with his family after complications from pneumonia.

On March 12, 1938 Donald F. Belman Sr. a sergeant in the Waukesha Sheriff’s Department and his wife Bernice Belman gave birth to Donald the first of six children in Milwaukee.

Donald is survived by his wife Carol Belman, sons Daniel Belman wife Raelynn, David Belman wife Susan, and grandchildren Brandon, Victoria, and Kaitlyn and his brothers-in-law Robert and Wanda Schmidt and Jim and Shirley Schmidt. Don is survived by his two sisters Patricia Sova Weigel, Therese Frost and families as well as numerous cousins from the Fleisner and Gastrou families. He was preceded in death by his siblings Gary, Richard, and Sharon.

Don graduated from Catholic Memorial High School then served in the Army and enlisted in the National Guard. Later Don enrolled in Carroll College and met his future wife Carol and later married her on June 15th 1963.

Don was the epitome of a self-made man and entrepreneur. He worked to put himself through college at a paving company. He became store manager for Goodyear tires upon graduation. After several years he followed his passion to be an entrepreneur and in 1971 Don started Don Belman Realty where he began selling real estate and developing land. He learned home building from several friends and began selling their models. In 1981 Don formed Don Belman Homes, Inc. and built his first of many homes on a lot that he owned.

Don was instrumental in building hundreds of homes and numerous communities throughout Waukesha County. For many years, he worked on and checked every home he built almost every day. In 1995, Don became president of the Metropolitan Builders Association (MBA) and was an active advocate of the building industry. Don’s company has won numerous industry awards over the years including MBA Builder of the Year.

Don enjoyed playing cards with his friends as well as gambling. For years, Don took annual fishing expeditions to Canada with his friends. Don was a student of history including World War II and the American West. Don enjoyed touring the desert from his vacation home in Arizona. Don was also fond of animals, especially dogs.

Don was a pillar in the community and extremely charitable, supporting St. Mary’s Parish, Waukesha Catholic Schools, supported the City of Waukesha’s fireworks, and also donated money when he found out the ice rink that he skated on as a kid at Buchner Park was closing.

Don would like to express his deepest gratitude to everyone in the building industry and all the trades that helped him build his homes and developments over the years. To Don, it didn’t matter if someone was the head of a company or if they were the one taking out the trash, Don treated everyone with the utmost respect and he was always willing to talk to and get to know anyone he worked with.

Visitation will be from 9:00 until 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 28, 2019 at St. Mary’s Parish 225 S. Hartwell Ave. Waukesha, WI 53186 with a funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. Light luncheon to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in his honor to Operation Finally Home at www.operationfinallyhome.org/Wisconsin (in the “Memory of”, put Don Belman or mail a check to Operation Finally Home, 1407 E. Sunset Drive, Waukesha WI 53189 Donations can also be made to Waukesha Catholic School Systems at www.waukeshacatholic.org/support-us or by mail at 221 S. Hartwell Ave. Waukesha WI 53186-6402

Randle-Dable-Brisk Funeral Home, Crematory and Preplanning Services is honored to serve the family. For further information, please call the funeral home at 262-547-4035 or visit our website at www.randledable.com for directions or to leave the family an online tribute message.