Dr. Monti Belot, Jr.

The funeral service for Dr. Monti L. Belot, Jr., 96, Lawrence, KS, will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, February 25, 2010 at the First Presbyterian Church in Lawrence.  Military graveside services will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lawrence.  He died on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at the Pioneer Ridge Retirement Community in Lawrence.

He was born on August 23, 1913 in Clyde, KS, the son of Dr. Monti Belot, Sr. and Anna Ellvin Belot.  His early education was at St. John’s Military Academy in Salina and he later graduated from Clyde High School in Clyde, KS.

Dr. Belot received a bachelor’s degree in zoology and a master’s degree in microbiology from the University of Kansas.  He graduated from the KU School of Medicine in 1940.

After graduating, Dr. Belot served in the U.S. Army as a physician during World War II.   He first served in Alaska and then later in England & France during the D-Day invasion.  While in Alaska, he was a physician during the construction of the Alaskan highway, which was built by the military.  He was discharged from the Army after the war as an Army Major.

Dr. Belot came to Lawrence and began private practice as an internal medicine physician in 1945.  He served as chief of staff at Lawrence Memorial Hospital in 1948 and 1973.  He practiced in Lawrence until March 31, 1998, when he retired at the age of 85.

In 1969, he along with four other individuals, founded and incorporated the Lawrence Memorial Hospital Endowment Association.  It continues today as a primary funding source for private gifts and financial support for the hospital.   In 1992, he received an award from them for his continued service.

Dr. Belot was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Lawrence, the Fortnightly Club and was the oldest living member of the Lawrence Country Club.  He was a former member of the Kansas Medical Society as well as the Douglas County Medical Society.   He was elected president of the nine-county Kaw Valley Heart Association in May 1957, and president of the Kansas Heart Association in May 1963. He was President of the Kansas Heart Association in May 1963.

He married Martha Allen Cameron on March 1, 1941 in Lawrence.  She preceded him in death on August 13, 1998.

Survivors include a daughter, Rosemary (husband, Craig) Jarrett, Irmo, South Carolina, two sons; Monti L. Belot III (wife, Karen), Wichita, KS, Allen C. Belot (fiancée Darlene Harrell) Lawrence, KS, ten grandchildren  (Mark Belot, Ellen Roggemann, Lindsay Vail, Andy Belot, Katy Belot, Tom Belot, Kyle Jarrett, Alex Belot, Drew Jarrett, & Martha Belot) and two great grandchildren.

The family will greet friends from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.

The family suggests memorials in his name to the LMH Endowment Association and may be sent in care of the mortuary.