Kimberly Michelle Bellam, resident of Edmonton, AB, formerly of Grande Prairie, AB, passed away on Friday, August 18, 2023, in Edmonton, at the age of 38 years.

Kimberly was the fourth child of Henry Gordan Beaver and Mary Gertrude Bellam. Kimberly was the little sister to Laurie Annette Emin (Bellam); Shiela Joan Bellam and Leonard Gordan Bellam.

Kimberly was a beautiful little baby who brought so much joy to her family. We all loved her and doted on her. To say she was spoiled would be an understatement! She was considered the little princess and she knew it! Her older siblings were already teenagers and going their own ways by the time Kim was born, so it was a blessing for her parents to have a child in the home. Even though Leonard and Laurie were so much older they loved having a little sister to play with and hug and kiss. Kimberly was a happy baby, for the most part, who grew into a loving, smiling, and laughing little girl. She had a lot of energy and kept us on our toes! She loved to play hide and seek and got us scared a few times when we couldn’t find her! She once took off from the house and was found several blocks away! Kimberly enjoyed reading, drawing as well as dancing and singing. We would always see her dancing in front of the TV.

As Kimberly got older, she found a love for playing the piano and drawing, and she was a gifted artist. She struggled in school and was only able to complete Grade 8, so her mother, who was a teacher tried to home-school her. This proved to be difficult as they were both headstrong and stubborn Lol. Her parents separated when Kimberly was still very young, but she remained in contact with her father throughout her childhood. This was the beginning of her family losing their close connection to one another and they slowly drifted apart.

Kimberly became an auntie when she was about 8 years old. She cried to her mom because she wasn’t the baby in the family anymore. We couldn’t help but laugh because she was jealous of her niece, and when she was 12, she became an auntie again. Although Kimberly was not in their lives as much as she would have loved, she always asked about them and expressed her love for them.

Kimberly lost her beautiful mother on December 1, 2003, after a long battle with liver disease. This was a profound loss for Kimberly, and she started using alcohol and drugs to cope with the loss. Eventually, Kimberly decided to move to Calgary where she lived for a few years. This is where she met her children’s father, Patrick Joly, and they had two beautiful sons together, Obsidian Maurice Joly and Dice Henry Joly. They were never able to parent these two beautiful boys who were eventually in the care of Child Welfare. This was yet another loss she couldn’t endure, and it led to Kimberly’s continued struggles with mental health, addictions, as well as homelessness. Throughout all the struggles she endured Kimberly kept in touch with her father and she relied heavily on him to help her which he did. He never gave up hope she would turn her life around and come home. In October of last year, Kimberly became a great aunt to Wrenlynn Rose Mary Gaucher when her nephew had his first child. She was happy to be a great aunt and hoped to meet her one day.

She is survived by her father, Henry Gordan Beaver; sister Laurie Emin; brother Leonard Gordan Bellam; niece, Cheyanne Shiela Gaucher; nephew Joshua Keith Gaucher; great-niece, Wrenlynn Rose Mary Gaucher; sons: Obsidian Maurice Joly and Dice Henry Joly.

Kimberly was predeceased by her mother, Mary Gertrude Bellam, her sister, Shiela Joan Bellam, grandmothers Margaret Bellam and Caroline Catt, grandfathers Sam Beaver, and Joe Greyeyes.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, September 1, 2023, at 2:00 pm, at Oliver’s Funeral Home (10005 107 Ave) in Grande Prairie.

Interment to follow Saturday, September 2, 2023, at 11:00 am, at Grande Prairie Cemetery (9505 -112 St.) in Grande Prairie.