Beverly Ann (Towers) Owings (1933-2019)

OWINGS, TOWERS, MEPHAM, RIPKE, HARTER, GARINGER, SWALLEY

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:12

Obituary from Camino del Sol Funeral Chapel & Cremation Center, Sun City West, Arizona.

Beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, and Great-Great-Grandmother, Beverly Ann Owings passed from this life peacefully to be with her Lord on February 1, 2019, at the age of 85. She was born June 30, 1933 to Thomas and Dorothy Towers in Des Moines, Iowa. The family later moved to a farm near Des Moines, where she graduated with the class of 1951 at Bondurant High School.

Beverly attended Iowa State University, where she met William J. Owings and soon married in 1952. William and Beverly had their 66th wedding anniversary in 2018. They had two children, Tamara Mepham and Jeffrey. Beverly’s full and rewarding life revolved around family.

The couple spent most of their working years in Ames, Iowa, where William is a professor emeritus of the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University. Once the two kids had grown, Beverly worked many years as an Elementary School Teacher’s Aid and later as an Education Aide at the Department of Family Environment at Iowa State University. Beverly loved being around people and enjoying their positive energy. She received the Superior Service Award in 1992 from the Iowa State University Alumni Association in recognition of her outstanding and inspiring service.

William and Beverly retired to Sun City West, Arizona in 1995 to live close to family and enjoy a warm climate. In Arizona, she became connected to a new, vibrant community of people, especially through their church, Desert Palms Presbyterian.

Beverly was a beautiful person, both inside and out. She touched the lives of the people she met in a special way. She loved to laugh and socialize, and especially enjoyed the times when she was surrounded by her family. Beverly was on the move during the years she had her health. Keeping up with her on one of her exercise walks was no easy task. After which, she liked to sit on the back patio of their Sun City West home and enjoy what she called her “arboretum” of beautiful desert trees, cacti and plants.

Unfortunately, health issues from advanced dementia, surgery to remove a brain tumor, and two serious bouts with pneumonia took a toll on Beverly’s health in 2018 and into early 2019. We appreciate the care she received from Grandview Terrace Rehabilitation and Care Center, as well as Banner Hospice, during this difficult time.

Beverly is pre-deceased by her parents and her parents-in-law, two sisters-in-law, Judy (Owings) Ripke and Linda Towers, and her son-in-law, Mark Mepham. She is survived by her husband, William, her brother, Thomas, daughter, Tamara, son, Jeff, daughter-in-law, Iris, two grandchildren, Heather Harter and Michael Owings, two step-grandchildren, Jen Garinger (Daniel) and Jon Swalley (Phenicia), two great-grandchildren, five step-great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life service will be held for Beverly at Desert Palms Presbyterian Church in Sun City West, Arizona at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 2, 2019. She would insist that the gathering be uplifting and joyous for all who attend.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Beverly may be made to Desert Palms Presbyterian Church, 13459 W. Stardust Blvd., Sun City West, AZ 85375, or Banner Hospice, 275 E. Germann Road, Suite 110, Gilbert, AZ 85297.