Paul John Belus

Paul John Belus, of Brookfield, Ohio, passed away quietly on Thursday, March 13, 2025, while at his daughter’s home in Moreland Hills, Ohio, following a period of declining health. He was 97.

Paul was born on December 24, 1927, in Slickville, Pennsylvania, a son to John F. and Anna (Hrabosky) Belus.

He graduated from Brookfield High School in 1945 and was active with the ROTC.

Proudly, he served our country as he was deployed as a 2nd Lieutenant to post occupied Japan with the 11th Airborne Division of the U.S. Army. When he returned home, he resumed work at Westinghouse, Sharon, Pennsylvania, where he worked for 41 years as a Logistics Coordinator in the transformer division.

He remained active in the Army serving in the Reserves from 1949 until 1984, while in the Special Forces 81st and 82nd Airborne Division. In addition, he served as Commander of the Orwell, Ohio unit of the American Legion, and led a Special Forces Unit for NATO in Europe in 1965, with the 82nd Airborne. He later became a Commander and Educator of General Staff School, at Fort Lee Virginia, teaching logistics until his retirement in 1984 with the rank of Colonel.

Paul received a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1954 from Youngstown College.

On December 8, 1949, he married his high school sweetheart, Aileen Meeker, and they held hands for nearly 70 years until her death on December 2, 2019. Together, they purchased their beloved farm in Brookfield.

In his spare time, he loved reading, gardening, spending time with his family, making repairs on his farm, and spending endless hours in community service with his brother masons.

Survivors include: his daughter, Paula Stepnick (Edward Kasicki); grandchildren, Geoffrey R. Stepnick (Melody Ford) and Elisabeth Battles (Seth); and numerous nieces and nephews.

He is predeceased by wife, Aileen; sisters, Anne Belus, Mary Adamchick, Helen Yonchak, and Margaret Lisovitch; as well as brother, John Belus.

He is a lifetime member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Sharon, where he served as a lay minister and chalice bearer; raised a master mason in 1970 at Western Reserve Lodge # 507 F&AM, West Farmington, Ohio; Past Master (1980 & 1989), endowed member, and 55-year brother of Hillman Lodge #481, Youngstown, Ohio (formerly Wick Lodge and now Colonel J. Hillman Lodge) Poland, Ohio; Illustrious 33nd degree of the Scottish Rite Valley of Youngstown; Past District Education Officer of the 24th Masonic District, 1990-1992; and Past District Deputy Grand Master of the 24th Masonic District of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, 1993-1995.

A time of gathering to honor Mr. Belus will be held on Sunday, March 23, 2025, from 4-7 PM, in the home of Briceland Funeral Service, LLC, located at 379 State Route 7, SE, Brookfield, Ohio 44403, where masonic services will conclude the evening at 7:00 PM. A funeral service will be held on Monday, March 24, 2025, beginning at 11:00 AM, also in the funeral home, where military honors will be rendered by the West Middlesex & Wheatland Honor Guard. He will be laid to rest next to his bride at Oakwood Cemetery, Hermitage, Pennsylvania.

Paul’s family extends a special thank you to his caregivers at Home Instead, Bedford, Ohio, and Ohio Living Hospice, Willoughby, Ohio, who provided amazing care over the past several months.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Trumbull County or Mahoning County Animal Shelter, honoring his love for animals; the Disabled American Veterans; or the West Middlesex & Wheatland Honor Guard, c/o the funeral home, P.O BOX 551, Brookfield, Ohio 44403.

Expressions of sympathy may be left for his family at: www.bricelandfuneralservice.com