Friday, November 24, 2023
This is the full story of David and Annemarie Bellavance. Written by Annemarie Bellavance
David Donald Bellavance-Our world got a little dimmer Sunday November 19, 2023 when the worlds best husband, father and friend passed away after complications during a heart procedure in Burlington, MA. David was born in Portland, Maine on August 6, 1980 to his loving parents Mark and Susan (Hale) Bellavance. He joined his 13 month old “Irish twin” brother, Dennis, completing their family and being raised as close as two brothers could be. He grew up in Auburn, Maine a shy and silly little boy with blonde hair and the sweetest dimples, sneaking candy and playing board games with Dennis. When Dave was young, his father Mark, began to have symptoms from the Muscular Dystrophy that would eventually end his life too soon, but Dave and Dennis would assist with his extra needs and be his legs when his no longer worked. The emphasis at home was on patience, kindness and compassion and Dave had that in spades. He was a Boy Scout, in spite of hating everything about nature, water activities especially. He also reluctantly played little league, basketball and even soccer, in spite of being completely uncoordinated. His childhood interests were definitely not physical, but lay in technology- computer and video games. He would spend hours at the mall arcade alternately perfecting his gaming and running down to the book store to memorize the cheat codes without having to purchase the books. He graduated in 1998 from Edward Little High School in Auburn, Maine, a good student but certainly not the most memorable, as his calm and quiet demeanor would help him blend into the background. After high school, he attended the University of Maine in Orono, graduating in 2003 with a bachelors in Business with a concentration in technology. During his time at UMaine, he became so comfortable with the school and the area, he decided to not just stay in Bangor but to get a job at the University, starting in Information Systems in 2006 with Student Auxiliary Services where he stayed for the next 7 years working his way up to a manager position. It was in Auxiliary Services when a new hire needed tech access, that David met his wife, Annemarie. Sparks did not immediately fly- she was a single mom of an 8 year old and he was a happy bachelor who had a cat named Oatmeal and only 2 recliners for furniture. But both were processing some hard life changes, specifically Dave’s recent diagnosis of the same Muscular Dystrophy his dad had had. Friendly, sarcastic conversations and quick lunches turned into sharing their stories and their fears and their secrets. When one afternoon, Annemarie called to cancel their dinner date because her son Izaac needed to go to the ER, David showed up in the waiting room. He promised to stay out of the way, but said he would just be there in case she needed anything. And stay he did. During her sons admittance, Dave slept on the hard window bench in their hospital room. When they confirmed his Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis, Dave learned how to count carbs and give insulin injections. When Annemarie cried about health insurance and copays, he told her something he would repeat 100’s of times after, “we got this.” We. Always we. He showed up that day and he never left. That was the day the 3 of them fell in love and became a family. They were married in the most perfect wedding ceremony on October 7, 2012, Izaac as his best man. Dave fell in love with being a parent when he fell in love with Izaac at 8. Then he really flourished when he became Oliver’s dad 3 1/2 years later. When their last attempt to have a brother for the boys turned into twin girls, Annemarie’s half crazed exclamation of “TWINS?!?”, was shrieked only seconds before he quietly and reverently whispered “twins?” while watching her with complete adoration and love shining in his eyes. The patience with which he raised their children was astounding. Never a harsh word when a hug was an option. Never a criticism if praise could be tried. And always telling them how he felt- how proud he was of them, how good and special they are, how much he loved them. They were his everything and more. He loved them out loud- with complete abandon, with absolute joy and with his whole entire heart. 9 years ago, Dave, Annemarie and the boys moved to Massachusetts, eventually settling in Hollis, NH, so that Annemarie could stay home and raise the kids while Dave could do what he loved best, take care of them all. He began working as a Senior Developer at Puma NA out of Westford, MA where he was always treated with respect and empathy despite his many medical complications. Dave welcomed 3 in-laws into their home, always eager to help and support those he loved. Always patient and generous with anything that was “his”. In defiance of his body’s steady decline due to the Muscular Dystrophy, he continued to get up each day with a smile and ready to find a way to help someone else. His joy for life and his family wasn’t diminished by the MD, in fact it made him cherish each private moment with someone special and made him celebrate every good day, because the next one wasn’t promised. He lived life to the fullest and loved like each day was his last. Anybody lucky enough to know him was treated with kindness, respect and probably a stupid pun or joke. His friends were his family and his family was his world. Knowing Dave was an honor, loving him and being loved by him was an absolute privilege. That kind of love isn’t the kind you ever forget. It can’t dull over time. It can’t be taken away and it will never be forgotten. HE will never be forgotten because his love has changed all of us and therefor changed the world. He would want us to smile and laugh. He would want us to tell the stories about him that might not be considered appropriate. He would want us to listen to 90’s music and dance pathetically bad and drink until you think you can do karaoke and eat lots and lots of pasta! His legacy will live on every time you choose to be generous or remember to thank someone. When you make a dad joke or laugh inappropriately at the wrong time. He will live on through our words when we tell people how we feel about them now, not tomorrow, but today. When we live like tomorrow isn’t promised, we live like Dave. He leaves behind, his wife, Annemarie and their children, Izaac Rutherford (21), Oliver (9), Alice (5) and Piper (5). His best friend and brother, Dennis Bellavance and his husband, Rommel Fulgencio. His mother, Susan Bellavance and her husband, John Mosey. Extra special grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, a niece and nephews, as well as friends who were family to him. Dave was predeceased by his father, Mark Bellavance. The family would like to thank the many specialists who have cared for David over the years, including the Lahey Hospital SICU in Burlington for their compassionate care during his final days. A very special thank you to, Jonathan Silver, MD and Jeremy Seibert PT, OCS who’s care and support of Dave and his family over the last 9 years have allowed him to be the kind of father he had always dreamed of being. Words cannot express our gratitude for you both.
