John Raymond Bellenoit, 72, of Chicopee, MA, formerly of Worcester, MA, passed this world with honor, dignity and peace on February 11, 2021. Known to those close to him as 'Jack', he was born in Worcester, MA to Raymond 'Benny' and Lorraine ‘Bunny’ Bellenoit. John was the eldest of five children. He is survived by his wife Rachel Bellenoit of Chicopee, MA and his three children, Hayden Bellenoit and his wife Sara Vakhshouri and their two young children of Severna Park, MD, Ross Bellenoit of Philadelphia, PA and Simone Bellenoit of Chicopee, MA and his sister Elaine Brazeau of Woodstock, CT, and brothers James Bellenoit of Carlisle, PA, Robert Bellenoit of Longmeadow, MA and David Bellenoit of Douglas, MA. Also included are several nephews and nieces and their children.
He graduated from Assumption College, MA with a degree in Foreign Affairs and Economics, and later went on to receive an MBA in Business Administration from Western New England College. John entered the Peace Corps after graduating from Assumption College and was assigned to El Salvador between 1970 and 1971 where he traveled by horse from village to village organizing villagers for incoming Peace Corp volunteers who would install running water in their villages. He spent many nights sleeping in a hammock and eating fresh mangoes from villager’s trees.
On April 9, 1972 he married Rachel Martin in St. Anne Academy’s Chapel in Marlboro, MA. Together they settled in western Massachusetts, where he worked as a bi-lingual social worker with the Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare. John then went on into the business world and worked for the Spaulding Corporation, and then Stanhome in Westfield as a marketing manager for the Caribbean and Latin America. He then worked for CSD International, in Shelburne Falls, as Manager of International Sales and Administration. He then founded his own filaments export business, HRS Trading, and spent much of the past decade teaching international marketing and production management at Westfield State University along with several other local community and four-year colleges. His business took him around the world, especially to Latin and South America and he maintained a lifelong interest in the cultures and peoples of the region. He was fluent in French, Spanish and Portuguese. John’s children often joked that their father worked for the CIA due to his overseas business trips.
John's penchant for European automobiles and driving only 'properly made cars' became legend within his extended family, along with the love of his 25-year-old VW Jetta diesel and of old non-computerized Saabs and Volvos. John enjoyed, above all, the warm company of his family, friends, golf, tennis, and good food and drink. He lived life to the fullest.
Friends and relatives will be invited to a small outdoor gathering and memorial service in the spring.