Willie Belcher

On June 1, 2023, our beloved Willie Devon Belcher left this life on a wing and a prayer to journey home again. Willie,
known to many as Devon, was born in Hammoned, KY, on March 9, 1949. He grew up on a mountainside in the hills of
Kentucky in a two-room cabin with no running water, no amenities. He lived with his grandmother, mother, aunts and
uncles, who were like sisters and brothers to him, and his cousin. His grandfather died in the coal mines, and his
grandmother raised him as her own along with her children.
In his younger years, Willie loved to play basketball. Most of all he loved running and being in the woods. But home life
took priority as their life depended on the gardens and animals they kept. His aunts and uncles eventually migrated to
the Chicago, IL, area, and eventually Willie followed them in his teen years to start his working career.
Willie was a hard-working quick learner and learned everything he knew on the job. Most of his jobs were in
manufacturing or foundries. Often, he talked of Gemmac where he became head maintenance man and eventually
plant manager. Willie became his own independent, self-made man.
On September 11, 2004, Willie married his friend and love, Kristi Weber. With their children as attendants, they were
married in a park gazebo and pledged their love and life forever.
In his later years, Willie worked as maintenance man at Main Tape in Plymouth, WI, and also in the foundry at Bremer in
Elkhart Lake. He eventually left the company in 2008 due to health reasons.
Willie was a very streetwise, common-sense person, but also had a soft heart for those less fortunate or less able to
defend themselves. And he was the type of person who could get away with saying the truth about something that
everyone else was thinking, but wouldn’t say, drawing many chuckles from those around.
He’s lovingly remembered by his wife, Kristi; daughter, Tonya Belcher, and granddaughter, Kailey Belcher; stepchildren,
Jessica (Rob) Norwood, Tricia Weber (Dan Deming-Henes), Aaron Weber; step grandsons, Cameron, Kellen, and Marcus
Norwood; mother-in-law Phyllis Skalecki; special cousin, Larry Burke; special aunt, Jeanette Holland; numerous sisters
and brothers-in-law; and his former wife, Sherry Belcher.
He has been reunited with his special grandmother, Nanny Louise Belcher; parents, Floetta Belcher and Jim Damron;
father-in-law, Joseph Skalecki; grandparents, and his many special aunts and uncles.
The family would like to give special thanks for their loving care over the years to Dr S. Mark Bettag, Dr Vytas Kerpe, Dr
Matthew Hemsing, and Carrie Kraus, Dr Louie Coulis, the cardiology teams at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s in
Milwaukee, and St Nicholas Hospital staff for their respectful and loving ER and hospice care.
Visitation will be held on Friday, June 9, 2023, at Suchon Funeral Home in Plymouth, WI, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm, with a
memorial service to immediately follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that memorials be given to the Lymphoma Research Foundation or American
Heart Association.
The Suchon Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Plymouth is serving the family. For online condolences, please visit
www.suchonfh.com.