George T. Bellas

George T. Bellas, age 85, of South Park, PA passed away on October 21, 2023.

Born in 1938 In Scarnton, PA he was the son of the late Thomas and Margaret Bellas of Naugatuek, CT. He was the beloved husband of 59 years to Angela Bellas; Loving father of Jessica Bellas and her partner Tim Fletcher of Pittsburgh;  dear uncle of Selena Bellas of Gresham, OR; also survived by his beloved canine companion Toasty.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his brother Thomas Bellas of Hanover Park, IL.

George had a life-long passion for all types of vehicles, which began when he founded G+T Automotive with his younger brother Tom in his parent’s garage in Naugatuek (CT).  George earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Connecticut.

His career included tenures at General Motors, New Departure, United Aircraft, and the US Department of Energy.   Most notably, he received the prestigious “Silver Snoopy” award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for his design contributions to the Environmental Control System for the Apollo 11 Mission.   He also loved telling stories about working for General Motors (GM) with his brother Tom and road tripping across the country to test the latest GM vehicle.

While working at New Departure in Bristol (CT), George spotted a beautiful woman of Italian descent named Angela walking down the street during their respective lunch breaks and he quickly approached her to introduce himself.  Their first date was at a Friendly’s Family Restaurant.  Their marriage spanned 59 years and produced one daughter, Jessica.

George was very proud that he built the first coal combustion test facility at the US Department of Energy (DOE) in South Park Township (PA).  His career at DOE lasted 30 years and covered various leadership positions in research and development, environmental compliance, and project management.  During this time, he also earned a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Science and Management from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh (PA).

George bought, built, wrecked, repaired, and sold more cars, motorcycles and boats in his lifetime than can be listed here.  He combined his technical acumen and his generous spirit as a boat owner and a member of several marinas. Most infamously, George and his daughter Jessica always hosted great parties on their boats at Pleasure Cove Marina in Pasadena (MD) and Washington’s Landing Marina in Pittsburgh (PA) for family, friends, and their pets.

George kept up on current events was an avid reader of The Guardian, The Washington Post, and the New York Times. He also provided generous financial support to friends and family in-need, progressive political candidates/causes, and animal charities. He enjoyed learning about his heritage, shooting targets, and caring for his pets. He was a member of the Library Sportsman’s Association and the Lithuanian Citizens Society of Western Pennsylvania.

George was most proud to be a good son, husband, father, and uncle for his beloved family.

Funeral services were private for immediate family members only.  A memorial service may be planned in 2024 by his wife and daughter and will be by invitation only.   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.