Ella Mae Belle, 88, of Cando, ND passed away Friday, June 12, 2026 at the Towner County Living Center in Cando. A funeral service will be held on Monday, June 22, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the Cando Lutheran Church. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service in the church. Burial will be held at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery.

Ella Mae Peterson was born January 11, 1938 at Zion, North Dakota to Erick and Mabel (Dix) Peterson. Ella Mae attended Hardwheat Country School and later attended the Cando School. She started working at the young age of 12 waiting tables at a local dinner. She was united in marriage to Halmer (Homer) Belle on September 25, 1954. She was a stay-at-home mom and housewife. They lived and farmed in the Cando area, moving to Egeland in the fall of 1972, to start H.E. Belle Trucking. They returned to the family farm near Cando in 1981. Ella Mae worked at the Towner County Hospital in laundry/kitchen for 35 years. She retired in 2008. Homer passed away July 20, 1992. Ella Mae enjoyed quilting, making quilts for “her boys”, and all her grandchildren. She enjoyed gardening and baking only to give it to others. Never missing baking a cake for her family’s birthday and cooking for family gatherings up until her health didn’t allow. She also loved watching her children, grand-children and Daniel Grande play basketball and NBA Basketball.

Ella Mae is survived by her children: Lynn (Corrin), Egeland; Debra (Gene) Gefroh, Egeland; Melvin (Cheryl), Cando, Tracy (Sandra), Bowman; Randy (Trish), Cando and Robert (Laura), Langdon; daughter-in-law Tani Belle, Bowman; 15 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

She’s preceded in death by her parents; husband Homer; son Eugene (Gene); sisters, June Grande and Betty Lou (Schneider) Moody; brothers, John and Eric; three great-grandchildren; Brynlee Belle, Laikynn Belle, Bryce Kleven, father and mother-in-law, Olav and Edna Belle.