Belinda Jane Niemi passed from this earth December 16, 2015, in Richland, WA and was buried there on December 20, 2015. A memorial service will take place at 3:00 PM on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at Central United Protestant Church in Richland, WA. Pastor Dave Parker will officiate.

Born in Carlsbad, NM, July 7, 1956, to Dick and Jane Trone, Belinda lived with her family in La Huerta and attended Riverside elementary and Eisenhower Junior High schools in Carlsbad. She attended church at Epworth United Methodist as a child, where her parents were charter members.

In 1970, the Trone family moved to Sacramento, NM, where Belinda attended Weed High School. As a student at Weed, Belinda participated in cheerleading, drill team, rodeo club, annual staff, newspaper staff, chorus and girls basketball, graduating in 1974.

Belinda married James Paul Niemi in Carlsbad, in 1978. They had 2 sons together and were subsequently divorced. She never remarried and raised her boys as a single mom.

After the divorce, Belinda worked full time for different companies mainly keeping books during the day and ran her own bookkeeping and tax services company in the evenings and on weekends. Struggling to support her family as a single mother, she made the courageous decision to pursue a college degree in business, some 11 years out of high school.  Her general education studies began at New Mexico State University Carlsbad.  While working on her business degree, Belinda was hired as an intern at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, NM. Working in this new environment opened Belinda’s eyes to her own potential and instead of a degree in business she changed her major to civil engineering. With general education studies complete, she moved her small family to Las Cruces in August of 1988 to complete her degree at the main campus of NMSU. Belinda earned a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, along with an associate’s degree in Business Administration and Economics. Belinda graduated in the top 5% of her class in 1994. Being recognized for her academic excellence during her college career, she was awarded the title of NMSU Crimson Scholar, listed on the National Dean’s List, and earned memberships in Tau Beta Pi – National Engineering Honor Society, and Chi Epsilon – National Civil Engineering Honor Society. Her last two years of college, she worked for the Dean of the College of Engineering. 

Following her time at the university, Belinda took a job in Richland, WA, for 4 years during the mid-1990s with Westinghouse Hanford Company/Duke Engineering Services. In 1998, an opportunity for a nuclear safety position became available in Carlsbad, NM, at Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP). Belinda reluctantly returned to Carlsbad NM, but did so knowing that it was the best thing to do for her family at the time. It was during her time at WIPP that Belinda became involved with the Energy Facility Contractors Organizational Group (EFCOG), she became a very active and influential member. In addition to EFCOG, she was also involved in various subgroups of the Safety Analysis Working Group (SAWG). She was a two-term chair of the Safety Basis sub-group, along with being the secretary of the SAWG Steering Committee.  Belinda made significant contributions to SAWG and its sub-groups, was recognized as a technical expert in the field of nuclear safety, was well liked by all of her colleagues and left the group with competent leaders following her. She had great talent and skill in guiding people in the right direction and in staying focused on the task at hand during the many meetings and workshops she chaired. Belinda continued to be an active member of the groups, attending meetings and sharing her experience with the next generation of nuclear safety professionals. 

After 4 years in Carlsbad Belinda returned to Richland, a place that she dearly loved and where she still owned a home. She had been offered a new position, in the environmental and nuclear safety group at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant. Belinda made a final transition in her career in 2013, where she continued to implement nuclear safety items recommendations. She was pivotal in facilitating technical resolution between various subject matter experts regarding the difficulties and inconsistencies between the Waste Treatment Plant and Tank Operating Contractor.

Belinda was diagnosed with stage 4 Lung Cancer in June 2013, and even though she underwent many months of difficult treatments, she continued to work full time until August 2015.  Her unwavering faith in God kept her strong during her illness.  

Belinda loved her work, and the comradery at work. She made countless friends with her co-workers through the years.  At WIPP, Belinda was not only famous for leading the hazards analysis on the LANL MOVER, but also for forming regular burrito potlucks! Many of her friends from WIPP rotated up to the Hanford or Umatilla sites through the years. The “WIPP reunion” Mardi Gras party, usually organized by Belinda, was an annual highlight for all those people. Belinda maintained friendships across decades and even oceans, depending on where life took those friends. When you were part of the Belinda clan, she was your staunchest supporter and advocate. A quote from one of her friends was a sentiment echoed by many. “When you were Belinda’s friend, you were set. You were good.” She will be dearly missed at WTP, at One System and in the greater Nuclear Safety community.

Outside of her work environment, Belinda believed in giving back to her community. She served for 3 years as Habitat for Humanity treasurer in Carlsbad, and worked tirelessly to raise awareness, funds and donations for Habitat. She also volunteered at the Tri-Cities Pregnancy Network in Richland at one time.

There were few things in life Belinda loved more than traveling to new places all over the world, to include a 3 week mission trip to Kenya with a team from her home church in Richland, Central United Protestant Church. Her greatest joy, however, was the arrival of her grandson, Jaxon, in November of 2006. He was truly the light of her life her last 9 years on this earth!

Belinda was preceded in death by her grandparents Rev. L. B and Sara Trone and Clifford and Pat West; parents Dick and Jane Trone; uncle, Peter Trone; aunt, Wanda Stroud; and cousin Tom Stroud. She is survived by her two sons, Matthew Niemi of Richland, WA, and James Niemi of Albuquerque, NM; sister, Debora Wilbourn and husband Allan, of Artesia, NM; brother Paul Trone and wife Janis of Carlsbad, NM; grandson Jaxon Niemi of Richland, WA; nieces Amanda Leggett of Midland, TX, and Karli Wilbourn of Artesia, NM; nephews Brad Trone of Santa Fe, NM, and Bryan Trone of Carlsbad;  two great-nephews and a great-niece of Midland, TX; daughter-in-love, Amanda Aunspaugh  of Richland, WA; cousins Cliff and Wren Stroud,  Janean Fiest, Rick and Brenda West, Rocky and Gay West of Carlsbad along with their extended families; and special friends Allene and Billy Warren of Carlsbad, and Tammy and Mark Taylor of Richland, WA.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to Central United Protestant Church, in support of African Missions, 1124 Stevens Dr, Richland, WA 99354; or The Tri-Cities Pregnancy Network, 5040 W Clearwater Ave, Kennewick, WA 99336.