David L. Belt

DAVID L. BELT, 1944-2021 David L. Belt, 77, of West Haven, beloved husband of Carolyn Copeland Belt, passed away on June 26, 2021, at the West Haven VA Medical Center. One of the leading commercial litigators in Connecticut, David practiced law in the New Haven area for more than 50 years, most recently as a member of Hurwitz, Sagarin, Slossberg & Knuff, LLC.  He was also an Adjunct Professor at the Quinnipiac University School of Law.  Among his many publications, he co-authored Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices, Business Torts and Antitrust, Vol. 12 of the Connecticut Practice Series.

David was born in Wheeling, WV, on January 13, 1944, to the late David H. and Mae Jean Belt, and grew up primarily in the Cleveland, OH area.  He then attended Yale University, from which he graduated, magna cum laude, in 1965, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.  It was while attending Yale that David met Carolyn, the love of his life.

After his college graduation, David served in the United States Army as a military intelligence officer, including a tour of duty in Vietnam between 1966 and 1967, where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Achievement.  After his active-duty service, David attended the Yale Law School, graduating in 1970.David was a man of great integrity, decency, wisdom, and courage.  He was passionate about the law and never stopped learning new things. 

He loved music, and sang in the choir of the United Church on the Green in New Haven for 25 years.  He was a fan of the Cleveland Browns and Indians, and was often in the stands to root for the Yale basketball, hockey and football teams.  But David’s true passion was his family, whom he cherished and who adored him beyond measure. 

While we are profoundly saddened by his loss, we are eternally grateful for the love he shared and the example he set. David is survived by Carolyn, his best friend and wife of nearly 54 years; son David and daughter-in-law Karen Lanning of Arlington, VA; daughter Amy Belt Raimundo and son-in-law Brian Raimundo of San Francisco, CA; sister Carla Funk of Chicago, IL; brother Robert of Joliet, IL; and loving grandchildren Kathryn, Sydney, Quinn, and Emery, who gave him such great joy and who meant the world to him.

A private graveside service will be held at the family’s convenience.  A Memorial Service will take place in the fall at the United Church on the Green in New Haven, where David was an active member for decades. Please check back for updated service dates. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to LEAP (leapforkids.org), to Columbus House (columbushouse.org), or to the New Haven Free Public Library (nhfpl.org).

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