Alnora Mae Belt

Alnora "Ali" Mae Lepley Belt, 90, formerly of Cooperstown passed away at her home in Riverside, CA on March 29th, 2018.Born on November 4th, 1927 in Cooperstown, she was the daughter of the late Clarence Claude and Cora Lucille (Dunkle) Lepley.In 1945, she joined the Women's Army Corps. She then proudly served in the U.S. Army as a Sargent receiving her WW II Victory Medal.For 23 years, she worked for the Federal Government working in the CIA and spent many years at the Department of Defense. Her most memorable accomplishment while working at the DOD was being part of the team that launched the first navigation system with timing and ranging, the NAVSTAR satellite, in 1978.After her graduation from Northern Virginia Community College with an Associates Degree in Applied Science in 1980, she and two other partners opened their own design firm and was selected to design and decorate a room in the "Decorator's Showcase House," a fundraiser supported by the National Symphony.Ali was a member of the Women's Association of Clarendon Presbyterian Church in Arlington, VA and at Victoria Presbyterian Church in Riverside, CA. She was also a Legionnaire at the American Legion Post 79 in Riverside, CA.Mrs. Belt believed in helping those that could not help themselves. She was instrumental in helping to establish a school for special needs students. Later in her life, she was a travel coordinator for the Janet Goetsky Senior Center where she enjoyed participating in the trips she planned. She enjoyed water skiing, snow skiing, skating, sailing, sky diving, studying French cooking, and traveling both in the U.S. and abroad. Regardless of where life took her, she always considered Cooperstown to be home.Left to cherish her memory is her sister, Betty Jane Nicholson, her three daughters, Tanya Nickson, Susan James and Jackie Brooks, her five grandchildren, her five great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.Ali was preceded in death by her two brothers, Raymond and Clarence "Bud"; her two step-sisters, Phyllis and Faye and her step-brother, Paul.A Celebration of Memories of Alnora will be held at the Gardinier Funeral Home, Inc., 1315 Chestnut Street, Franklin on Saturday, July 14, 2018 from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. A graveside service will be held Saturday at 11:00 am at the Cooperstown Cemetery where military honors will be accorded by the V.E.T.S. Honor Guard prior to the service.Memorial contributions in Alnora Belt's name, may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, Research Only, PO Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090.To send flowers, cards, online condolences or for general information, friends and family are invited to visit www.gardinierfuneralhome.com .