Sara Lee Insley Dunbar

Published 8:11 pm Wednesday, December 18, 2019

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Sara Lee Insley Dunbar was born on October 15, 1929 in Church Hill, Maryland. She was preceded in death by her husband: Donal S. Dunbar, Sr.; parents: Rev. Levin Irving Insley and Sadie Belle Waddell Insley; one sister: Dorothy Insley Linker; and three brothers: Thomas Insley, Fred Insley, and Richard Insley.

Funeral services for Mrs. Dunbar will be held on Monday, December 23, 2019 at 12 pm from St. Mark’s Episcopal Church with Father Curt Kennington officiating, and Dillard Funeral Home of Troy directing. Interment will follow in Green Hills Memorial Park with Dillard Funeral Home of Troy directing. Visitation will be held on Monday, December 23, 2019 from 11 am until 12 pm at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

Mrs. Dunbar was widely known as a Christian woman of integrity and honor. She grew up in a ministers family, and was baptized by her father when she was a baby, and confirmed at 12. Going to church regularly was a given. She served as a Prayer Warrior in the First Baptist Church Prayer Room for many years, and believed that prayer works, and all things are possible with it. She also loved to praise the Lord through music as a member of the First Baptist Church choir. Later in life she joined the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

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She spent many years devoting her time and focus to multiple organizations. Mrs. Dunbar aided many underprivileged children with free clothing, medical treatments, dental treatments, and expenses as past President and Recording Secretary of Troy Charity League. She served on the Troy Arts and Humanites Council bringing cultural attractions to Pike County and the schools within. As chairman of the Cancer Drive for the City of Troy she assisted with raising funds for research as volunteer coordinator. She also assisted in raising money for the March of Dimes.  Throughout the years she also served as the President of the Forty-Niners Study Club, Past President, Vice President, and chaplain of the Troy Woman’s Club, Founder and Charter Member of Huntingdon College Alumni Association of Troy and Pike County, Scholarship advisor for Gama Sigma Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta National Fraternity, President of the Mental Health Association of Pike County, American Legion Auxiliary Girls State Chairman, regent of Oliver Wiley Chapter, Daughters of The American Revolution, past Vice-Regent and Librarian, and served multiple other organizations.

As a past member of the Alabama Education Association, Mrs. Dunbar has always shown interest in education in Alabama. She taught sixth grade public school in Enterprise, AL, and served as the past President of Cherry Street Elementary School Parent Teachers Association- now the Laura Montgomery Elementary School. For nine years she served as the Scholarship Chairman for the alumni chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta. She always encouraged students to excel in academics, so they would adapt more easily to life upon graduation, and become more successful.

Throughout the years she has received multiple nominations. These include World Who’s Who of Women, Outstanding Personalities of the South, and Pike County’s Woman of the Year reigning 1984-1985.

To Mrs. Dunbar, family life has always been most important. On June 14, 1952 she married Donal S. Dunbar, Sr. They enjoyed 66 years of marital bliss. She is survived by her 2 daughters: Diana Lee Dunbar, Dorothy Wright Dunbar Rogers (Tom); son: Donal S. Dunbar, Jr. (Sheila); grandchildren: Alina Dunbar, Erin Dunbar, Cindy Darsey (Novin); and great grandchild: Trey Darsey.

Serving as pallbearers will be Marvin Dillard, Dwayne Webb, Keith Roling, Mark Kelley, Rett McGowin, and Dr. Todd Pearlstein. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be the Builders Sunday School Class, Dr. Tim Eakes, and Charles Meeks.

Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church : 401 W. College St., Troy, Al 36081.

To sign the online guest register please visit our website at dillardfh.com.