BESSMAN, Murl "Pete" Keller 1914-2001

BESSMAN, KELLER, AKERS, BEECHER, SHANER, HICKEY, CARACAUSA, LAFFOON, CHRISJOHN

Posted By: Jeffrey R. Phillips (email)
Date: 2/7/2004 at 17:52:48

Murl Bessman
By: 05/23/2001

July 19, 1914-May 17, 2001

ALDEN-Murl "Pete" Keller Bessman, 86, of Alden, died Thursday, May 17, 2001, at his home. Services were held Monday, May 21, at the Immanurel Memorial United Church of Christ in Ackley, with burial in the Alden Cemetery. Rev. Bob Miller officiated.

Pete was born July 19, 1914, on the family farm near Alden, to Henry and Grace Keller Bessman. On Jan. 12, 1979, he married Geri Akers Beecher at Nashua. He attended the Alden School and served in the United States Army in World War II, receiving the Purple Heart. He had formerly owned a gas station, the Bessman and Cary Grocery Store in Alden, and had farmed. Murl was a member of the Moose Lodge No.1331 and Collins-Dunning Post No. 201 of Alden. His hobbies were yard work and gardening.

He is survived by his wife, Geri, of Alden; a daughter, Nancy Shaner and her husband, Ken, of Brighton, Mich.; a stepdaughter, Sonja Hickey of Temple City, Calif.; a stepson, Douglas Beecher and his wife, Pam, of Lompoc, Calif.; a grandson, Kurt Shaner and wife, Kathy, of Barnwell, S.C.; a stepgrandson, Timothy Hickey of Seattle, Wash.; stepgranddaughters, Tiffany Caracausa and husband, Bill, of Pine Mountain, Calif., Kelli Laffoon and husband, Keith, and Elizabeth Beecher, all of Lompoc, Calif.; four great grandchildren; four step great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and one sister, Ila Jean Chrisjohn and husband, Robert, of Alden. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Clarice, in 1968; two brothers, Cletis and Keith; and two sisters, Neva Elliott and Mary Lou Bessman.

Surls Funeral Home in Alden was in charge of arrangements.

©Iowa Falls Times-Citizen 2004