Robert Lee Bellew's Obituary
ROBERT LEE BELLEW
Robert Lee Bellew (Bob), of Leesburg, FL., was born in Owensboro, KY., April 18,
- He was preceded in death by his parents Levi Dell and Lillian Mae (Powers)
Bellew. He leaves to mourn his wife, Martha (McHenry), two sons, Retired US Air
Force Major Donald Richard, of Bonifay, FL., and Robert Levi of Leesburg, FL., four
daughters, Bobbie Lee Davenport of Kuttawa, KY., Sherry Ann Jackson of Howard
Creek, FL, Tamara Susan Andros of Athens, GA., and Leighann Nichole Bellew of
Leesburg, FL. Six grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and a maternal aunt, Louise
Phillips, of Hendersonville, TN.
In August 1948, Bob became the youngest bowling lanes proprietor as the owner and
operator of King Pin Lanes in Henderson, KY., for 25 years. Served in the US Army
during the Korean War from 1951-1953, attended and graduated from Evansville College
1954-1958, Evansville, IN., with a degree in Accounting. Bob was one of the original 33
members of the Professional Bowlers Association, member of the Henderson, KY.,
Bowlers Hall of Fame, and from 1960-1962 was the Star of television show Beat the Pro
which aired on Sunday nights out of Evansville, IN. In 1968, Bob became a Charter
Member of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society, (BASS) and a Professional
Bass Fisherman, where he won numerous tournaments on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes
in Western KY. He was a National Bass Association Gold Medalist and a 3 time
participant in the ABF Grand Prix Tournaments. He began working for the US Treasury,
Dept. of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms as an Inspector. He was commissioned a
Kentucky Colonel November 13, 1974, by then Governor Wendell H. Ford.
Bob retired from the US Treasury Dept. in 1990. He moved to Florida, where he
continued to do in-store fishing promotions in the Wal-Mart Stores and Gander MTN.
stores in KY., IN., GA., FL., and TN., for the past 35 years, representing fishing tackle
companies like Johnson Outdoors, Tru-Turn Hooks, Pure Fishing, Minn Kota
Trolling Motors and Humminbird Depth Finders.
A Funeral Service will be held at James H. Davis Funeral Home in Owensboro, KY. Please continue to check back for Service date and time.
You can read more about Bob Bellew, his early years by going to
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