Dr. Joe Belew, ‘53, smiles for a photo.
becoming a doctor. Always the long-term planner, he realized his selection of the right undergraduate program was crucial to his success in getting accepted into medical school. He chose Central because he was impressed with the number of pre-med students who got accepted and went into grad school from the college. One of his professors, the beloved Dr. Lester Shell, made it a point to introduce the pre-med program to several grad schools, which afforded Central students a better chance at getting accepted to medical school. Upon meeting Joe, Dr. Shell quickly took the young student under his wing and appointed him as his student assistant. Joe reported that he traveled with Dr. Shell at least once a month, recruiting student-athletes. Another of Joe's tasks required him to clean the labs and storage rooms down in the basement of T. Berry Smith Hall. If you ever run into Joe, you'll want to ask him tell you the story about how he managed to get the chemistry department's storage floors the cleanest they've ever been in Central Methodist history! Joe shared that few Central Methodist students had their own transportation back in the day, so if they needed to get home, they often resorted to hitchhiking. He recalled a time during his senior year, as he waited for a ride, he saw a tall, lanky, freshman CMC basketball player by the name of Don Spalding who was also hitching a ride home. Joe offered to hitchhike with him. Sharing similar interests in pre-med and sports, this particular journey became the basis of a lifelong friendship. Joe went on to become an OB/GYN while his friend became a radiologist. Through the years, the two played golf together. Joe is proud of one particular tournament they won together in 1991 at the Forest Hills Invitational. A look around the room and one can see his undying love for his wife, Jane, whom he met in the Eyrie on the Central campus. He grins like a young college student, and his eyes twinkle when he talks about her. They had three children – two daughters and a son. One of the girls, Taina, ‘77, graduated from Central Methodist's first nursing program. Joe says his kids are all extremely successful and have wonderful children of their own. Jane passed away in March 2021, but the love remains stronger now than it did in 1953. I asked Joe how they stayed in love all those years. He said, "We shared a strong faith in God. We rarely had a day that was all good, but we always ended the day good." Good words to live by from a man who knows how to be happy and how to show others they matter. Joe enjoyed the classes he took, and you can be sure that he excelled in everything he did. He discovered a passion for learning German, becoming quite efficient at speaking the language. Joe's hard work and dedication landed him with an offer from more than a few med schools. He chose Saint Louis University. Upon graduation, Joe was required to join the U.S. Army Medical Corps as an OB/GYN. His ability to understand and speak German came in handy, as he was able to help reduce the mortality rate of pregnant German women married to American G.I.s. Joe attributes this exemplary achievement to simply correcting their dietary intake. It was getting late, so I had to wrap it up. "One more question, Joe. How many babies did you deliver during all those years of practice?" His response was astounding! "11,673 babies."
A Story About Love…and Delivering 11,687 Babies BY REV. BILL O’NEAL
I
t was a promising, sunny day when I arrived for my appointment with Dr. Joe Belew, ‘53. I was looking forward to our visit, as I wanted to hear his stories about Central Methodist and how his life had evolved after all these years. Joe's kind smile greeted me as he opened the door to his apartment. I knew instantly this man wearing a bright red Palm Springs golf shirt was a golf fanatic. Golf memorabilia from fabled courses around the world adorned his home. The back door to his balcony was open, allowing the summer’s fresh air to flow into his beautiful home. The sound of heavy equipment rose from four stories below. I was curious as to what was going on down there, so I asked Joe what was with all the ruckus. “They are building a community putting green,” he said. “I bet that’s a huge disappointment for you,” I responded. I instantly realized that this man was a hoot and that we were going to have a great conversation. But I wasn’t there to discuss golf; I wanted to learn about Joe’s time at Central Methodist. As a farm boy from St. Clair, Mo., Joe spent his early years dreaming of
26 The Talon | Spring 2022
