Mary Virgene [Ridgway] Beers 1927-2012

RIDGWAY, BEERS, GARBER, WOODERSON, JONES, BRYNGELSON, DOWNEY

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 5/7/2012 at 12:20:57

DEATH NOTICE:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa March 14, 2012)

BEERS, Mary, 85, of Van Wert, Iowa, died on Monday, March 12, 2012 at Westview Acres Care Center in Leon, Iowa. Visitation will be on Thursday, March 15, 2012 beginning at noon with family receiving friends from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 16, 2012 at Slade-O'Donnell Funeral Home in Leon. Interment will be held in the Van Wert Cemetery.

A memorial fund has been established by the family.

Obituary -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa March 14, 2012)

MARY VIRGENE [RIDGWAY] BEERS ... Mary Virgene [Ridgway] Beers, age 85, of Van Wert, Iowa, the daughter of Ralph and Georgia [Garber] Ridgway, passed away from this life on March 12, 2012 at Westview Acres in Leon, Iowa. She was born on February 1st, 1927 on a farm near Leon where she grew up and attended school, graduating from Leon High School in 1945. Mary taught school in rural Decatur County from 1946 until 1951.

She married Don Beers on September 14th, 1951. They lived in Arlington, Virginia during the Korean Conflict until his release from the service in January 1953. They then moved to a farm south of Van Wert, where she lived until she moved to Leon in September 2011.

Don and Mary attended and were long-time members of Van Wert United Methodist Church, where Mary served in numerous ministry activities, serving meals, participating in fund raising projects, and always encouraging others in their service to the Lord.

She was active in 4-H participation by all of her children. She was a seamstress and an avid gardener. She taught her children to work by example, in the garden, in the sewing room, in the kitchen and the barn. She loved the outdoors. Church participation, community service, and hard work were a way of life in the Beers household.

Mary and her family attended the Iowa State Fair every year as the children grew up. Mary enjoyed camping on the fairgrounds and attending her children's cattle judging competitions and 4-H exhibits and demonstrations. Mary rarely missed attending her children's band and choir concerts and sporting events. She also attended many of her grand children's school activities whenever possible.

Her grandchildren made special efforts to come to the farm each summer, spending several days with Grams and Gramps, experiencing the rewarding life their parents had known each day of their lives growing up. She invested herself in her grandchildren in this way.

Mary knew and loved the Lord Jesus Christ, and her family is certain of Mary's presence with the Lord today. No tears necessary for Mary - our tears are just evidence of our sadness because of her absence from us.

Mary is survived by her five children, Diane Wooderson and husband Mark of Cedar Falls, IA, and David of Van Wert, Lori Jones and husband Randy of Leon, Kelly and wife Karen of Fayetteville, AR, and Kyle and wife Vicki of Letts, IA; sister Mildred Bryngelson of Marshalltown, IA; sister-in-law Merna Downey and husband Frank of Grant City, MO; brothers-in-law Dick Beers and wife Marge of Arlington, TX and Ed Beers and wife Reva of Osceola, IA; 9 grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren; and 14 nieces and nephews, along with many other relatives, neighbors and friends. She is preceded ind death by her parents, her husband Don 2007, brother-in-law Clifford Bryngelson, and brother and sister-in-law Richard and Marilyn Ridgway.