Obit of AILEENE DOWNIE BEAMAN, 1905 – 2002; Simpson 1928

BEAMAN, DOWNIE, KLEIN, LEISER, STEWART, SUMMERWILL

Posted By: Jeff Klein (email)
Date: 7/11/2004 at 15:29:23

Obituary of AILEENE DOWNIE BEAMAN, 1905 – 2002
Widow of Floyd I. (“Brady”) Beaman; Simpson College Class of 1928

Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa

Aileene Marjorie Downie Beaman, daughter of Everal Sumner and Emma Barbara Leiser Downie, was born on October 24,1905 and died on April 24, 2002 at Clearview Home in Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa at the age of 96 years, six months.

Aileene was born on a farm east of Wishard Chapel in Liberty Township, Ringgold County. The Downie family moved to Mount Ayr about 1907. She attended school in Mount Ayr and graduated in the Mount Ayr High School Class of 1924.

She attended Simpson College in Indianola and received her degree in 1928 with a major in Home Economics. On August 10, 1932, she married Floyd I. (“Brady”) Beaman, formerly of Greenfield, Adair County, and they established their home in Mount Ayr where Brady operated the Mount Ayr Cleaners. To this union, two daughters were born, Jacqueline and Loralynn (“Lolly”).

She returned to teaching full time after her daughters were in school. She taught in Tingley and Arispe, Iowa. She furthered her education with graduate work at the Iowa State University in Ames, Drake University in Des Moines, and later University of California at Los Angeles.

In 1960, Aileene and Brady moved to Fullerton, Orange County, California. Brady was employed at Henshaw's Department Store and Aileene secured a position as a Home Economics and English teacher in the Orange County Public School System. The move to the Los Angeles suburb put the Beamans closer to Aileene's brother Dale Downie and her sister Bernadine Stewart. Brady's brother Clarence A. (“Mike”) Beaman was also nearby.

Aileene was a dedicated teacher for 29 years. She taught high school in Ringgold County for 13 years and another 16 years in Orange County, her last teaching position being at Wilshire Junior High School in Fullerton, California.

Brady and Aileene returned to Mount Ayr to retire in 1975. Brady passed away on July 8, 1992 just one month before their sixtieth wedding anniversary.

Aileene was a member of California Teacher's Association and National Retired Teachers Association. She was a former Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star and helped celebrate 50 years for her Chapter 356 in Mount Ayr. She was a member of American Federation of Women's Club and a member of American Association of University Women.

Aileene was an active member of the Mount Ayr Methodist Church all her life and was a Sunday School teacher and hostess to many church wedding receptions over the years. She also operated a produce table to sell vegetables on Sunday morning for the benefit of missions. She also knit and donated many items to sell at church craft shows. Aileene shared her knitting skills and talent with many others over the years. She taught free knitting classes in conjunction with Southwestern Community College Adult Consumer Homemaking program. She also made comforters for the needy and nursing home residents.

She is survived by her daughters, Jacqueline Klein of Virginia Beach, Virginia and Loralynn Summerwill of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; sons-in-law, A. Gene Klein and Ben Summerwill; grandchildren, Jeffrey G., Barbara A. and Gregory J. Klein of Los Angeles, California, Kate Summerwill of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Michael B. Summerwill of Cedar Rapids.

Her sister Bernadine Stewart, and her brothers, Dale Downie and Dr. Gerald Downie, formerly of Kankakee, Illinois, a well-respected medical missionary who traveled and lived in China and Rhodesia, predeceased Aileene.

Aileene was cremated and some of her ashes will be scattered in her favorite places. The rest will be buried beside Brady in Rose Hill Cemetery in Mount Ayr.

A memorial service will be held at the Mount Ayr Methodist Church on July 12, 2002 at 2:00 p.m.