THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 20, 1996 TAG: 9601200241
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: WASHINGTON, D.C. LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
Mary Elizabeth Dickson Cootes Belin, born Episcopalian on May 9, 1912, in Norfolk, died at her home in Georgetown from complications due to Parkinson's disease. She was the daughter of Col. Harry Newton Cootes, U.S. Cavalry, commandant of Fort Myers 1930-1933, from Staunton, Va., and Mary Louisa Cooke from Norfolk.
Educated in Vienna where her father was military attache after World War I, she graduated from Smith College (cum laude) after also studying at the Sorbonne in Paris. Mrs. Belin spoke several languages fluently and worked as a translator for the State Department. She was assigned special duty at various international conferences, including interpreter with the International Radio Commission at Lisbon in 1934 and Cairo in 1938. She was also an accomplished skier and an expert tennis player, playing in tournaments at home and abroad, qualifying for Wimbledon and playing on center court there in 1938 before returning to the U.S. to play at Forest Hills.
She married Peter Belin in 1939, and while her husband was on duty with the Navy for 20 years, she served with him in London, with SHAPE outside Paris, and in Rome. After his retirement, they resided at ``Evermay'' in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., where she remained until her death.
During her years in Washington, Mrs. Belin served on the Board of Children's Hospital; as a director of Washington Performing Arts Society; on the Board of the National Symphony; as founder of Friends of the Kennedy Center; and as Middle Atlantic Regional chairwoman for Metropolitan Opera Auditions.
She helped found the Washington Area Tennis Patrons Foundation; was a member of the Garden Club of America, the Georgetown Garden Club, Colonial Dames of America; was regent-at-large for Gunston Hall; was co-founder of City Tavern, Georgetown; and participated in many fund-raising events.
Captain and Mrs. Belin had four children, one of whom survives: Harry Lammot Belin. She is also survived by a brother, Merritt Newton Cootes, who resides with his wife, Jean, in Princeton, N.J.; three grandchildren, David, Stephen and Deborah, all residing in Washington, D.C.; and two daughters-in-law, Susan and Joan.
Memorial services will be held at Christ Church Georgetown, 31st and O Streets, N.W., on Saturday, Jan. 27, 1996, at 10:30 a.m. Arrangements are by Joseph Gawler's Sons, Washington, D.C.
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY by CNB