Known for her energetic and lively spirit, Holly Bess was widely respected by her Rush County community. Her vivacious, and sometime mischievous, nature was a source of joy to her family, friends and community. Even as she battled an aggressive cancer, she remained brave and full of grace, faith and love. Her death in February of 2024 affected many who knew her.

Her daughter, Alexa Welborn, considers Holly as her biggest inspiration. One word comes to mind when Alexa remembers her mom: beautiful. Not only was she beautiful in her appearance, “but her soul was beautiful. She was everything to our family; her inner beauty was everything to even strangers,” she said.

One of her favorite memories of her mom was her family’s trip to Disney World. Holly, her grandson Huck, and Alexa endured a long wait in the rain to ride in a water attraction. When they got in the ride’s raft with 10 strangers, Holly suddenly splashed everyone with the water in the raft. “Huck was dying laughing, but I think Mom was laughing harder,” Alexa described.

Holly sought to make the most of every moment with exuberance and authenticity. Her dear friend Denise Conolly recalls a trip they took together with friends to Florida one winter.
“We got down to Florida, and it was even cold down there. It was really windy. Holly and I said heck with it. We’re going to the beach,” laughed Denise.

Despite the cold wind whipping through the shoreline, they wrapped themselves in their cover-ups and sat on the beach for hours. The next morning, their cherry-red faces stung with wind burn, but they had no regrets.

“We did have the best time. We just were determined to have a good time,” she said.

That was Holly; her zest for fun was limitless. And so was her compassion.

“I think everyone who knew Holly would say the same thing: she was the most selfless, honest person. Everybody she came in contact with, she brought them in,” said her husband Brian.

As a young girl, Holly’s family moved to Rush County, and “she just loved the sense of family, the sense of friendship that the community is about,” said Brian. Holly built close friendships, which further fueled her love for the community. “Rush County has been a wonderful place to live, and Holly felt that,” Brian continued.

Holly, through the remainder of her life, embodied the closely-knit love that flows through the Rush County community. Holly and Brian raised their daughters Alexa and Kelsey Gray to embrace the community’s kinship and pride. They “made sure me and my sister knew where we came from and how lucky we were to be from a small community,” said Alexa.

To honor Holly’s legacy, Brian and his daughters started the Holly Bess Community Fund at the Rush County Community Foundation. Just as she provided support for the community through her rich relationships, the Bess family wants to emulate her generosity and love for Rush County. “Although she would not want the spotlight on her, she would want the help that it is going to bring to people,” Brian said.

The Holly Bess Community Fund is an unrestricted fund that will provide support for Rush County as needs arise. The fund was a part of Lilly Endowment’s GIFT VIII matching grant opportunity, which allowed the Bess family to triple the impact of the fund.

“We were wanting her name and her act of giving and the way she lived to carry on into the future,” said Brian. To honor Holly, her graciousness and her legacy, you can donate to the Holly Bess Community Fund.