Arah May Dunn Belbas Scholarship

Arah May Dunn Belbas was a native of Marissa, Illinois, who spent most of her adult life in Pinckneyville, Illinois. She was an extremely well read woman and an extraordinary mother, who managed to provide very well for her three children while working incredibly long hours as a seamstress and waitress.

Arah May (nee Bush) married Frank G. Dunn, a native of Pinckneyville, who died in 1965. She later married Albert Belbas and enjoyed five wonderful years of marriage prior to Mr. Belbas’s death. Arah May Dunn Belbas died in 1995 at the age of 81. She left behind her three children who loved and admired her very much and who want to memorialize her life and contributions through an endowed scholarship.

Mrs. Dunn Belbas, although not able to attend college herself, believed in education and was committed to doing what she could to assist students, including her children, receive and benefit from a quality education. In her later years, Mrs. Dunn Belbas worked as a Librarian in Pinckneyville where she assisted many students and users find books and materials. She loved introducing others to the wonders of literature, the joy of reading, and the value of being a knowledgeable person. This scholarship will help others to develop a similar sense of wonderment about life and the desire to learn more.

• Scholarship for graduates of Pinckneyville High School who demonstrate successful academic performance, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to serve others.