Maureen Belle: July, 27, 1951 – April, 6, 2026

Maureen L. Belle passed away peacefully surrounded by the love of family and friends, leaving behind a legacy of creativity, compassion, wisdom, and beauty that touched countless lives.

Born in Southern California in 1951 to Louis and Dorothy Belle, joining big sisters Carol and Christine, Maureen was drawn from an early age to art, design, nature, and the deeper ways people connect with the spaces around them. That curiosity and passion would become the foundation of a remarkable life devoted to beauty, healing, and intentional living.

After years working in design and construction, Maureen enrolled at the University of Oregon School of Architecture, earning her professional degree in interior architecture and architecture in 1990. She later earned an interdisciplinary master’s degree in Adult Higher Education and Traditional Ecological Knowledge from Oregon State University.

Throughout a career spanning more than three decades, Maureen worked across the United States, Canada, and Europe as a designer, consultant, teacher, author, and advocate for sustainable architecture and holistic design. She was the former president of Solaris Development Corporation and founded her own green architectural design firms, combining environmentally conscious building practices with her pioneering work in multicultural feng shui and what she later called “Gaiamancy.”

To many, Maureen was far more than a designer. She was a mentor, teacher, and calming presence who helped others create homes and environments rooted in balance, peace, and authenticity. Her work reflected her belief that people, nature, and the spaces we inhabit are deeply interconnected.

Maureen possessed an adventurous spirit, a brilliant mind, and a profound appreciation for beauty in all its forms — whether found in nature, art, conversation, travel, or human connection. She moved through life with warmth, humor, creativity, and fierce independence, leaving an unforgettable mark on everyone fortunate enough to know her.

She is survived by her loving family including son Shaun, his wife Jennifer, grandchildren Julia and Mason and sister Christine, as well as a wide circle of friends, students, colleagues, and clients whose lives were enriched by her wisdom and generosity. Her legacy lives on notonly in the spaces she designed, but in the countless people she inspired to live with greater intention, compassion, and grace.

A celebration of Maureen’s life will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. at Greenbank Farm on Whidbey Island.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Maureen’s memory may be made to the Orca Conservancy, reflecting her lifelong love of nature, animals, and environmental stewardship.