Mildred M. Beam

GRAVESIDE SERVICES: 11:00 A.M. WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2015 AT OAKLAND CEMETERY, DENISON, IOWAVISITATION: FROM 5:00 P.M. UNTIL 7:00 P.M. TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 AT PFANNEBECKER FUNERAL HOME, DENISON, IOWA Mildred M. Beam was born at Charter Oak, Iowa, December 28, 1928, the daughter of Bernhard and Clara Dorale Wiegel. She was baptized and confirmed in her Christian Faith at St. John Lutheran Church in Charter Oak. Mildred was raised on the farm at Charter Oak and received her formal education in the local rural schools. Following her schooling she was employed at the Charter Oak Locker.On May 28, 1950, Mildred was united in marriage with Ray R. Beam at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Dow City, Iowa. Their union was blessed with eleven children. They made their home in the Arion and Dow City areas until 1960 when they moved to Berne, Iowa. Mildred cherished her life as a homemaker and she found great enjoyment in cooking, baking, doing the laundry and sewing for her large family. In her spare time she enjoyed working word puzzle books and was an avid reader.Ray died April 29, 1977 and following his death Mildred moved to Dow City in 1978 where she continued to enjoy her family and care for them.Due to failing health, Mildred entered Eventide Lutheran Home in Denison, Iowa, November 11, 2011 and it was there that her death occurred Saturday evening, July 25, 2015. At the time of her death she had been blessed with 86 years, 6 months and 27 days.Including her parents and husband, Mildred was also preceded in death by five children: Roxanne Beam in infancy in 1954, Sandra Beam in 1976, Steve Beam in 1985, Stacey Beam in 2001 and Samuel Beam in 2008; five brothers: Raymond, Roy, LaVern, John and Leonard Wiegel; and two sisters: Leona Steffen and Irene Wellner;.Those remaining to cherish her memory include children: Stanley Beam, Sheila Beam, Scott Beam, Shirlene Simon and husband John, and Suzette Kroll and husband Terry, all of Dow City, Iowa, and Stuart Beam and wife Carol of Defiance, Iowa; 5 grandchildren: Kandi and husband Justin Rickert of Dow City, Iowa, Chad and Jesse Kroll of Dow City, Iowa, Dakota and Jericho Beam of Des Moines, Iowa; 1 step-grandson: Andy Kasperbauer and special friend of Brooklyn, New York; 3 great grandchildren: Luci Wood, Anna Kroll and Owen Rickert all of Dow City, Iowa; sister, Lois Laubscher of Dow City; sisters-in-law: Frances Wiegel and Amelia Wiegel, both of Charter Oak and Gladys Wiegel of Denison; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.Graveside funeral services and burial were held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 29, 2015, at the Oakland Cemetery, Denison, Iowa, with the Rev. Clark Christian officiating. Recorded vocal selections for the service included “How Great Thou Art” and “Old Rugged Cross”. Pallbearers included Roger Beam, John Simon, Kenny Beam, Paul Laubscher, Terry Kroll and James Beam.Following the services the family invited everyone to join them at the Dow City Community Building for fellowship and a luncheon prepared and served by the United Methodist Women. The Pfannebecker Funeral Home, www.pfannebecker.com , Denison, Iowa was in charge of arrangements where a visitation was held from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 28, 2015.