Perla Dirige Belo

Perla Dirige Belo born August 19, 1938 in Manila Philippines. She was the eldest of 7 siblings: Ofelia Dirige, Evelyn Resella, Hector Dirige, Didi Orejudos, Julie Conte, & Lois Campagna (all live in Southern California). She was the first to immigrate to the US from her family. She married Gasat Belo in 1966. She has two children: Nathan Belo & Ariele Belo. She has two grandsons: Ezekiel Faulkner & Jaedon Belo.

Perla immigrated to the US in 1962 after majoring in piano at the University of Philippines to earn a Masters of Divinity – Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA where she married Gasat whom also earned the same degree. One summer they both worked in a cannery in Ketchikan, AK and her job was to remove the salmon eggs. They moved to the Queen Anne neighborhood in Seattle and she attended Seattle Pacific University/SPU earning a teaching certificate and began teaching music for Seattle Public Schools at numerous schools. She taught music, piano, and lead choir at Blaine Memorial Methodist Church in Beacon Hill. She then later earned a Masters of Theology – Princeton Theological Seminary. She was ordained at University Presbyterian Church/UPC as the first Asian Woman to be ordained in the Presbyterian Church USA where she became an associate minister. Both her and her husband created the International Friendship House at UPC, a ministry and a place of housing for international students studying at the University of Washington. Perla & Gasat also help found the Filipino American Christian Fellowship in the U-District, now located in Lynnwood, WA. In 1990, she became the Director of Asian Ministries for the American Baptist Churches USA headquarters in Valley Forge, PA. She then retired after 14 years and came back to her home on Queen Anne.

She loved to sing, play the piano, go to the opera with her son, ballet with her daughter, cook, read, watch Dancing with The Stars, and travel the world. Christmas was her favorite holiday & looked forward to decorating the tree.

Perla passed away peacefully at her home on Queen Anne that she built with her husband in 1976 a few blocks up the street from their first home they bought in 1966 a block away from SPU.