Eric Richard Bezo

Eric Richard Bezo was born on October 5th 1934 to Edward Bezo and Lydia Bezo (nee Sattler) in the RM of Shellmouth. He grew up on the family farm just outside of Inglis, overlooking the town of Asessippi.

Eric left high school after completing grade 10 to help his parents with the farm. He loved country music and started playing the guitar at an early age. As he got older, he would play at local dances with The Country Gentlemen. Eric met the love of his life, Olly Bezan, on April 17, 1955 and they married on May 12, 1956 in Inglis MB. They moved to Dauphin so that Eric could play live music on the radio station with the B & B Ranch Boys.

Not long after, they moved to St Catharines ON and had two daughters, Araine and Thayne, who both sang with their dad over the years. Eric founded and led a bluegrass band, Niagara Blue, and they became well known throughout Ontario and New York State. Eric played guitar, fiddle and sang lead vocals. In 1983, Niagara Blue performed at Bluegrass Canada, a national competition, and they won the 1983 Bluegrass trophy. This was Eric’s proudest moment in his music career, and the band went on to record a CD as well as 45 rpm record.

Eric worked as a machinist at General Motors in St Catharines for 25 years, and after retiring, Eric and Olly moved back to Inglis MB in 1999 to enjoy their retirement. Eric loved to golf, was a self-taught chef extraordinaire, and his passion for music was closely followed by his love for fishing. He was the proud Papa to Thayne’s three children, Emily, Ariana and Eric Pelletier.

Eric was pre-deceased by his parents, his siblings Edward, Lawrence, Joseph, Margaret, Irene, and Diane, and his granddaughter Emily. In addition to his wife of 66 years, his two daughters and two grandchildren, Eric leaves many nieces and nephews and their extended families, all of whom he loved very much.