Page 552 - Paul N. Belleisle is a member of the firm that conducts in Grand Rapids a prosperous business under the title of the Valley City Auto Paint Shop, and the well equipped headquarters of this firm is at 1034 Wealthy street, southeast. The unvarying excellence of all work here turned out has gained to the concern a substantial and appreciative supporting patronage. Mr. Belleisle was born at Chatham, Ontario, Canada, August 1, 1891, and is a son of Leon and Emily (Letorneau) Belleisle, both natives of Canada and both of French lineage. Leon Belleisle was long a successful farmer in Ontario, and upon his retirement from the farm he removed to Detroit, Michigan, where he passed the remainder of his life and where his widow still maintains her home. Paul N. Belleisle is indebted to the public schools of his native place for his early education, and as a youth he learned the painter’s trade, in which he is a skilled and discriminating artisan. At his trade he has been employed in leading automobile factories in Michigan, and for six years he was in the painting department of the Buick Motor Company, at Flint. In 1920 he came to Grand Rapids and engaged independently in business, under the title of the Grand Rapids Auto Paint Company. He later sold this business and formed a partnership with Silas Meinardi, who has continued his valued coadjutor in the development of the substantial business of the Valley City Auto Paint Shop. The expansion of the business has been such that the firm now maintains one of the largest and best equipped paint shops in western Michigan, in which they specialize in the painting of touring and commercial motor cars, besides doing high grade lettering and pictorial work in their line. In order to keep up with present development of automobile painting they have installed complete equipment for lacquer work as well. They now have a slogan, "Name your finish, we have it." Mr. Belleisle is the owner of an attractive residence property, at 2118 Edgewood avenue, and he finds great pleasure in beautifying his grounds and keeping the home place up to a high standard. His wife, whose maiden name was Emeliene Spencer, was born at Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada, and is a daughter of the late Charles Spencer. The third member of the family circle of Mr. and Mrs. Belleisle is the widowed mother of the subject of this sketch. Silas Meinardi, who is the other member of the firm, has had twenty-eight years of experience in all lines of painting, having started in the old carriage days. He has had charge of several paint shops for over a period of eighteen years thereby gaining an experience of great value. Mr. Meinardi was born and raised in Grand Rapids but spent ten years in Chicago where he received some of this valuable experience in the best shops of that city. Mr. Meinardi and his family now make their home at 43 Burton street, west.