Birth date: Oct 28, 1959 Death date: May 22, 2025
Kevin Delane Belisle October 28, 1959 - May 22, 2025 It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Kevin Belisle May 22, 2025. Kevin passed unexpectedly at the age of 65 in the small town of Memphis, TX. He was born i Read Obituary
Back in the summer of '73, Big Marine Lake,
a kid is rumbling down the gravel hill on his bike, straight towards me.
He slams on the brakes and skids out, my shoes covered in dirt.
Its none other than Kevin Belisle. He starts talking and telling stories like he's known me forever.
From then on, a friend for life. Later that year we climbed on the school bus and were almost always late for class because of the 10 mile distance to Southwest Jr. in Forest Lake, jumping off and heading for the office to get our daily late slip.
I cannot even begin to relate all the good times we had through the years.
In '78, the brakes on my old Galaxie 500 went out at the bottom of the hill on Hwy. 61, near Lower Afton Rd. on the way to the Heart concert.
Kevin said to keep driving because it was "all uphill" to his house, so we wouldn't need the brakes anyway! We made it safely to his driveway and got another ride to the concert.
In '87, we hit the annual BIR Zoo and
later that year, Kevin talked us into spray painting a white Cadillac for the Twins World Series celebration.
We drove the car around the Metrodome among thousands of fans. Kevin stood on top of the hood with a few others, yelling and pounding the car with a baseball bat. (his image appeared in the Star-Tribune and a write up by Nick Coleman). Then he coaxed a cop to take the bat and do some more pounding- in pure joy of winning the championship!
Other years we invaded the Cedar Lake Speedway, riding dirt bikes in the woods and eating the famous "Belisle Burgers" with small rocks pelting us from the race track.
A couple times, we all headed to the railroad bridge spanning the St. Croix river near Stillwater, daring to run on the tracks before the train came shooting across.
The last few years we went our separate ways but kept in touch on Facebook. By the way, Kevin hated typing class in 9th grade and said he would never have any need to type anything, haha.
Every day I think of Kevin when I look at the sheetrock work he did on our house. He used his drywall stilts to become "Frankenstein" at Halloween parties.
Fast forward to May of 2025. I routed our road trip through Texas to finally see Kevin after many years.
He texted us information on Hwy 66 tourist stops. As sick as he was, he looked forward to riding along and showing us the sites.
Unfortunately, he became ill and ended up at the BSA Hospital in Amarillo.
We made it to the 5th floor and heard his familiar voice all the way down the hallway, talking and joking with the doctor and nurses.
We spent 45 minutes talking and reminiscing. After 52 years, he never changed from that kid on the bike so long ago. Enthusiastic and excited about life, even in the midst of serious illness.
I talked to him one final time on the phone a few days before he passed. His last words to me; "thanks buddy."
What a good friend and a what a great loss, but he lived life to the fullest!
There is only one Kevin Belisle.
Kevin was a good man. He spent a lot of time with me and Mark Block. Now he and Mark are giving heaven some hell
I met this amazing man by happenstance years ago in the zoo. His wheelie wagon had broken down, and he found someone with a golf cart willing to tow him, but he had no strap. So he flagged me down and employed me to be a human tow strap hanging off the back of the golf cart, holding the front of his wagon up off the ground while they pulled it half way across the zoo to get it back up to Camp Pallet! We became fast friends and I looked forward to hanging out with him every year after that until he moved to Texas. He was such a legend. The fact that the area we all know as "zoo viewing" where we can drive our contraptions to, and drink our own drinks while watching the races, is totally his doing, is something most people would want others to be aware of, to get recognition for. But not Kaveman. He'd just sit there and watch everyone use his space like it was a track given right to be there, and not tell anyone otherwise. There were a few times that my friends and I had to straighten out a few rowdy guys, and get them to show the man the respect he deserved! He'll never be forgotten. My deepest condolences to his family.
-Durka (Derrick) *The Living Room*
This is one of my favorite pictures I have of Kaveman from BIR from around '00 or' 01. This was the first time I really met Kaveman. I feel like this is exactly who Kevin was. A guy loving life to it's fullest. Gone too soon. RIP Kaveman. You'll be missed.
I knew of the legend of "Kaveman" from my 30 years at BIR, but I never met him. Until he was camped in my town of Bemidji MN. I quickly got in contact, picked him up and brought him to my house. We made him dinner and I was proud to show him my drag racing collection. I kept in contact here and there and was extremely lucky to see him at a race at BIR last summer. He will be missed by so many that knew him!!!
I was a neighbor of Kevin and Jodi on Forest Lake. He was always willing to help and was such a great guy. Rest in peace, Kevin and thoughts and prayers to his entire family
Blake Roberts
Forest Lake, Mn
I'm not sure I ever met Kevin, but I am an Ernhart and looking for relatives for the Ernhart family reunion. Please contact me at [email protected].
I will print this obituary and forward it to my cousins.
Kevin's Grandfather "Louie" was my uncle. My mother's (Irene) brother.
