Devoted daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother, Bella (Houle) Leblanc lived a life of service to family, friends, and church. She died peacefully on September 26, 2023, at UConn Medical Center in Farmington. 

Born January 28, 1931, in Hartford, she attended St. Ann’s School, Hartford High School, and studied piano at the Julius Hartt School of Music. Bella completed her education at Putman Catholic Academy (CT), run by the Daughters of the Holy Spirit. In 1950, she travelled to France to begin her novitiate at the DHS Mother House in Saint-Brieuc, Brittany. 

In 1955 she was married at St. Anne’s Church in Hartford to Raymond Joseph Leblanc. During this time, Bella was actively involved with the Mitchell House where she learned and then assisted in teaching dressmaking skills.

She was employed by Aetna Life and Casualty in several departments: Bond Claim, Legal, and later Training and Education. When her children were of school age, she worked at the John Tirkot Music Company. This position had a unique benefit that gave her children the opportunity to explore and study several unique musical instruments which would influence their educational and career paths.

In retirement, Bella found her true calling as a caregiver. She assisted families by providing a high level of care to their elderly love ones, which enhanced their end-of-life experiences. 

Bella was an active member of St. Anne’s Church, and later St. Helena’s and St. Peter Claver Parishes in West Hartford.

She was predeceased by her husband Raymond J. Leblanc (Architect), originally of Lowell, MA, parents Philemond and Cécile (Beaurivage) Houle, and brothers Roland and Edward Houle. 

Bella leaves behind her son, Dr. John Leblanc of West Hartford, CT (Musician/Educator), her daughter, Marianne Leblanc (Experiential Designer/Technical Director) of Las Vegas, NV, and her beloved granddaughter Rylee Carpenter (Musical Theater Major/Rider University) Lawrenceville, NJ.

Calling hours will be from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, November 24, at the Sheehan Hilborn Breen Funeral Home, 1084 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m. in the Church of St. Peter Claver, 47 Pleasant Street, West Hartford. Burial will be in the State Veterans Cemetery, Middletown. Online condolences may be made at www.SheehanHilbornBreen.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Daughters of the Holy Spirit, P.O. Box 497, 508-B Pomfret Street, Putnam, CT 06260, Church of St. Peter Claver, 47 Pleasant St., West Hartford, CT 06107 or St. Faustina – Shrine of the Divine Mercy, P.O. Box 951, Stockbridge, MA 01262