Elizabeth Mellick Belshaw, former Princeton Public Library development director, dies at 63

Lisa Belshaw

Elizabeth Mellick Belshaw, known as Lisa, died after a three-year battle with cancer on Friday, March 22 at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was 63.

A longtime resident of Princeton, Lisa was born in Wilmington, Delaware, on October 2, 1960, and grew up in Dover, Delaware and Rumson before moving to Princeton. She was a graduate of Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Connecticut, ’78 and Connecticut College ’82.

Lisa was a summer resident of Prouts Neck, Maine where she most enjoyed playing tennis, sailing, and taking in the many forms of nature. Lisa previously worked for Vogue and loved her roles as an elementary teacher at Collegiate School and Spence School in New York City, and the Princeton Friends School, where she later worked in the development office. Most recently, she worked as the director of development for the Princeton Public Library.

From 2003-2012, Lisa lived in London, where she raised her two daughters. There, she founded her own business designing fashion accessories and was active in local arts organizations, including the Kensington Chelsea Women’s Club. Her lifelong love of art led Lisa to live in Florence, Italy for two years in her twenties where she studied at Studio Art Centers International. Throughout her life, Lisa was a prolific painter and always supported the arts.

Lisa was the daughter of the late Rt. Rev. G. P. Mellick Belshaw, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, and Elizabeth (Wheeler) Belshaw. She is survived by her two daughters, Elizabeth (Lizi) Ham and Alexandra (Zanny) Ham; two brothers, the Rev. Richard Belshaw of Durham, New Hampshire and George Belshaw of Greenwich, Connecticut; two sisters-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27 at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street in Princeton. Attendees are encouraged to celebrate Lisa by wearing a touch of red, her favorite color. A memorial will be held in Prouts Neck, Maine in August.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (ocrahope.org).

Arrangements are under the direction of the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, Princeton.

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