Katherine "Kate" Bellande

Mrs. Katherine "Kate" Bellande, 94, of Biloxi, MS, died Friday, October 6, 2006, in Biloxi. Kate was preceded in death by her husband, Marcel "Mickey" Bellande, her parents, Roscoe and Emma Fickes, and a sister, Dorothy Dacey Wentzell. She is survived by a daughter, Kay Bellande Foster and her husband, Jim Foster, of Biloxi; two grandsons, Brad Foster of Pasadena, California and Brian Foster, M.D. and his wife, Erika, of Decatur, Georgia; a sister, Margaret "Bie" Foster of Biloxi, and numerous nieces and nephews. Kate was born in Mattoon, IL in 1911 and moved with her family to Biloxi as a teen. She graduated from Biloxi High School and attended Mississippi State College for Women and the University of Arkansas. In 1932, she married Marcel Joseph "Mickey" Bellande of Biloxi. During Mickey's baseball career and during his military service, Kate and Mickey lived in Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Kate was an avid golfer, playing in many local and state golf tournaments. She had been a member of the Mississippi State Women's Golf Association, Gulf Coast Ladies Golf Association, Biloxi Ladies Golf Club, and Great Southern Ladies Golf Club (which later became Broadwater Ladies Golf Association). Kate remained active in Sunkist Ladies Golf Association. She and her husband were charter members of Sunkist Country Club. She and Mickey won the Mr. and Mrs. Sunkist Country Club tournament several times during the '50s and '60s. She enjoyed playing bridge at Sunkist Country Club. Kate and Mickey were active in the community and were members of several carnival organizations. Kate was Queen of Bilikins in 1953. She resided on Kensington Drive for more than 40 years where she served as the Oak Park Garden Club President in 1964. Kate was a faithful member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Visitation is Monday, October 9, 2006, from 5 until 7 p.m. at the Pass Road Chapel of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Homes in Biloxi. Funeral services will be held Tuesday in the funeral home chapel at 2 p.m. Interment will follow in Southern Memorial Park.