Dr. Jonathan Bruce Belmont

Jonathan Bruce Belmont died at home in Philadelphia, in a room with a view, with the loving support of his family and friends after a 2-year fight against a particularly aggressive cancer.

Born in Philadelphia on March 6, 1955, Jon was the middle child of Sylvia and Owen Belmont. Large in stature from a young age onwards, to his older sister, Maxine, his younger brother, Andrew, and a close-knit group of childhood neighborhood friends, Jon also appeared larger than life, a description family, friends, and acquaintances frequently turned to throughout his 70-year life.

Jon graduated as the Salutatorian of the 230th Philadelphia Central High School class of 1971, where he ran hurdles for the track team while lamenting that his parents would not allow him to play football. He became an MD at age 21, having completed the combined 5-year Penn State University, Jefferson Medical School undergraduate and medical degree program in 1976. Along the way, he managed to survive learning to dive from the 10-meter platform at Penn State and working as a part-time bouncer at Doc Watson’s, the neighborhood bar near the medical school.

After a 1-year internship at Lankenau Medical Center, Jon completed his ophthalmology residency at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia in 1980. He followed this first with a Fellowship in Uveitis and Ocular Immunology at the University of California, San Francisco, Francis I. Proctor Foundation and then second with a Fellowship in Medical and Surgical Diseases of the Retina and Vitreous at the University of California, Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, CA in 1982.

Jon returned to Philadelphia to begin his medical practice as a retinal specialist with Ophthalmic Associates in Lansdale, PA. In 1989, Jon and his partner Dr. Robert Kleiner established Retina Associates of Greater Philadelphia, in North Wales, PA, later adding a second location in King of Prussia. It was here Jon took the greatest pride and satisfaction in the close relationships he created with many of his long-time patients over his 40+ years of ophthalmology practice. He also valued the extended team of staff members at Retina Associates, many of whom worked with Jon for decades.

Jon's compassion and attentiveness as a physician also extended to his family life. As a father of three sons — Ryan, Kyle, and Zack — Jon spent his nights and weekends helping with homework and attending an array of school sporting events. Family vacations revolved around sharing his love of the mountains and the ocean, learning to surf alongside his sons. As a step-father of two, Jon helped raise Anna and Otto with the same love and care as he had with his own children. His two granddaughters (Cody and Leah) revered him and cherished their visits from Grandpa.

Despite having grown up in the city, Jon enjoyed outdoor activities with friends and family throughout his life. At the 100th year anniversary celebration of the founding of Camp Kabeyun in New Hampshire, he spoke about the special place in his heart for his experiences as a camper, Counselor-in-Training, and then Counselor at Kabeyun. Graduating from high-school sponsored day ski trips to Pocono ski resorts, Jon spent years skiing the American West, particularly valuing his trips with his three sons. In later life, Jon was introduced to surfing by the close-knit Long Beach Island (LBI) community that he came to deeply value and love, among whom he was affectionately known as Doctor Jon. Surfing and stand-up paddleboarding soon surpassed skiing as his treasured outdoor activities, leading him to surfing expeditions across the world with his sons and surfing buddies. He especially appreciated having his morning coffee with the local, beach-side gathering of the self-named "Idiots Club" of surfing enthusiasts who would mix sarcastic humor, politics, and serious life discussions while judging the day's waves. An avid photographer, Jon had begun to gather a portfolio to show local galleries, focusing particularly on the photography and drone views of LBI, as well as his various surfing and paddle-boarding favorite destinations including Peru, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. He also had started envisioning a documentary together with his nephew, Jack, about the local LBI community and the Idiots Club. Both endeavors, embarked upon while undergoing two different courses of debilitating chemotherapy, showed his deep attachment to the LBI community.

Jon is survived by his wife, Jennifer Livingston, and his ex-wife, Christine Mahoney Belmont. He is survived by his children, Ryan (Elizabeth), Kyle, and Zachary, his step-children, Anna and Otto, and his two grandchildren, Cody and Leah. Jon was preceded in death by his sister, Maxine (Stan) Weinstein, and is survived by his brother, Andy (Chifan).

Jon will be remembered for his charismatic presence, keen intelligence, mischievous sense of humor coupled with his love of and pursuit of practical jokes, outspoken support of what he felt was right, dedication to his patients’ care, and deep loyalty to family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Camp Kabeyun, LBI’s Compassion Cafe, or The American Macular Degeneration Foundation.

Friends and family, former colleagues and patients are invited to a Celebration of Life on June 2, 2025.