Larry Belmont, 89

Larry Belmont, the first and longtime director of the Panhandle Health District (1971-1997), passed away on Friday in Coeur d'Alene, surrounded by his family, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. 

He is survived by his four children, Miller Belmont, Beckey Belmont, Amie Prupas, and Brad Belmont. His wife of 55 years, Laureen Belmont, preceded him in death. 

As a father, he imparted his wisdom and guidance to his sons and daughters, who all entered public service, serving in hospitals in Colorado, fire stations in Hayden, social work agencies, and Army units around the world. He passed on a passionate love for North Idaho, teaching his family to fish, boat, and hunt on North Idaho's lakes and rivers. His enthusiasm extended to his eight grandchildren, who also entered public service, including firefighting, emergency medical tech, the Army, refugee resettlement, lifeguarding, and mental health, carrying on his tradition of duck hunting, fishing and his great love for the outdoors.

As a Basque, his roots extend to the sheep camps of Denio on the Oregon-Nevada border, where his grandmother was born. Born and raised in Reno, he made his way to Idaho as soon as the future Senator Mary Lou Reed would hire him. Sen. Reed, who served on the Panhandle Health District Board, was initially reluctant to hire Larry, as he would have to run a family planning program. As he had four children under the age of five, Reed was unsure if he understood family planning, but he hired him anyway.

Larry quickly became an iconic figure in Idaho public health. In his 26 years leading the Panhandle Health District, he led a multi-decade effort to protect the Rathdrum Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for over 500,000 people. Early in his career, in 1974, he organized the cleanup of lead in the Silver Valley, forming a multi-agency effort that continues today. He was a forerunner of home health care, enabling Idahoans to live in their homes longer into old age and saving them and local governments money. He started Hospice of North Idaho, now the bedrock of end-of-life care, with a $30,000 grant. Leaning forward, Panhandle Health reinforced the Clean Lakes Initiative, an effort to preserve the water quality of North Idaho's 75 lakes. His success was as much about skillfully fighting corporate greed as it was about implementing sound health care and environmental policies. As a longtime member of the Kootenai County Dems, he had an uncanny ability to gather support for good policy from supporters across the political and ideological spectrum.  

His deputies describe working for him as an honor and a privilege. They appreciated his mentorship and leading by example through his fierce perseverance in tackling tough issues and never backing down from doing the right thing. Larry had a unique way of making you feel like a better person. Through his keen insight and Socratic approach, he inspired a person to be inquisitive and brave without boundaries. His friends and family will sorely miss his dry wit and acute observations.

A celebration of life will take place on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 2 p.m., at the Unity Center of Spiritual Growth, 4465 N. 15th Street, Coeur d'Alene. Larry had several charities he contributed to. Anyone who prefers to donate in lieu of flowers can contact the family at [email protected] for a list of recommended charities.

When you drink that next glass of water from the tap, thank Larry Belmont, Director, Panhandle Health District.