Arvella Olive Menard was born on 5 Dec 1902, in Nadeau, Menominee, Michigan, to Joseph and Marie Genevieve "Jennie" (Picotte) Menard. She was the twelfth of sixteen children born to her French-Canadian immigrant parents. She grew up in Nadeau until 1910 when she moved with her family to nearby Hermansville.

Arvella married John Joseph Bellmore on 30 Jun 1925, at Saint Mary's Church, in Hermansville, and spent their honeymoon in Watersmeet, Michigan. The couple met at a lumbering camp where Arvella was a cook and John a laborer. In 1932 John and Arvella purchased a 40-acre dairy farm, two miles outside Hermansville at N15938 French Town Road. They farmed and raised their children here.

Arvella and John were married for 31 years before John died on October 17, 1956. Shortly after, Arvella sold the farm and moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to live with her daughters and their families. She also spent time with her son and his family in Flint, Michigan.

Education: 8th grade.

Occupation: Farmer, loving mother, housewife, and homemaker

Arvella, age 95, died on 12 Sep 1998, of congestive heart failure, at the Cedar Lake Health Care Center in West Bend, Washington, Wisconsin. She was buried on 17 Sep 1998, next to her husband John, at Meyer Township Cemetery in Hermansville.

Parents:
Joseph Menard Sr. (1859-1942)
Marie Genevieve "Jennie" (Picotte) Menard (1866-1926)

Spouse:
John Joseph Bellmore (1902-1956)
Married 30 June 1925 in Hermansville, Menominee, Michigan (31 years)

Children:
Derwain John Bellmore (1926-2014)
Edna Mae (Bellmore) Rauterberg (1928-)
Shirley Ann (Bellmore) Kaiser (1930-1989)

Siblings:
Mary Jane (Menard) Christian-Dupuis (1884-1976)
Flora Mary (Menard) LaFave (1885-1974)
Arvella Menard (1887-1887)
Matilda Menard (1888-1888)
Gertrude Melvina (Menard) Ruby (1889-1985)
Ories Roseanne Menard (1890-1890)
Samuel Robert Menard (1893-1964)
Exilda Mary (Menard) Guimond (1895-1977)
Joseph Menard Jr. (1898-1901)
Wifred Menard (1899-1901)
Ida Lydia (Menard) Dani (1900-1999)
Phoebie Menard (1904-1909)
Cyril Joseph Menard (1906-1996)
Esther Marie (Menard) Brin (1907-2010)
Wilfred Joseph Menard (1909-1993)

Bio by James C. Orr (5/1/2023) FAG ID# 47360719