Beatrice Weade
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Beatrice "Beadie" Weade died peacefully in her sleep at home on September 6, 2022. She was born in Mishawaka, Indiana on July 14, 1923, and raised on the farm of her parents--Oscar and Nila (Oswalt) Wenger. She was a farm kid who milked cows, drove the tractor and cleaned the barn. On Saturday nights, the family drove to the picture show in Wakarusa where she became a lifelong fan of Western movies?the more horses the better.
In 1947 she met the love of her life, World War II combat veteran Keith Eugene Weade. They were married on August 21, 1948. Keith and Beadie were an inseparable couple, working, playing, and loving together for sixty-three years, until Keith's death on February 5, 2011.
Beadie centered her life on her husband and their four children?Barbara, Sandra, Alan and Rex. Starting with her harmonica solos, she instilled a love of music and musical performance in all of them. She also loved to dance, whether it was a waltz, square dance, or tap. She performed with the Battell Tappers senior group until she was in her late 80s and, when the Tappers disbanded, took up line dancing. She also took up golf at age 60 and was an excellent putter.
She was a member of Coalbush United Methodist church for over sixty years. Her commitment to her faith meant more than just showing up for services on Sunday morning. She acted to help others, whether it was a young person from a disadvantaged background, or a bus full of volunteers on their way to a mission in Kentucky. She and Keith led mission groups from Coalbush and other congregations to build churches, parsonages and other buildings for the Red Bird Mission in the mountains of eastern Kentucky for over thirty years. She and Keith also worked on construction projects for Habitat for Humanity and designed and completed buildings at Camp Lakewood and Ancilla College.
She was a self-taught organizer, planner, and designer who, had she lived in another place in another time, would have made a fine architect. She expressed her artistic and practical abilities in sewing, creating original garments well remembered by her family. She was also not afraid to speak out, to ask questions, and would not accept an answer that didn't make common sense to her.
She was proud of being one of the Wenger Twins, identical to her sister Berniece Burket, who everyone knew as Bunnie. Her happiest moments were spent with her family--first with her parents, sisters, brother and the extended Wenger clan, then her family she is survived by daughters, Barbara L. (Michael Goc) Weade, Friendship, Wisconsin, Sandra J. (Robert) Krost, Bremen, sons, Alan G. (Bonnie) Weade, Mishawaka, Rex L. (Michelle) Weade, Granger, grandchildren, Heidi Krost, Andrew Krost, Whitney (Adam) Krost Yoder, Nathan Goc, Rachel (Richard Adams) Goc, Brenda (John) Brannelly, Randy Weade, Austin (Esther) Weade, Aleece (Huiseop) Weade-Jeong, 12 great-grandchildren, Julian Goc-Adams, Thayne and Madeline Yoder, Delaney and Hadley Krost, Braedyn, Colin, and Raylon Moats, Maxwell and Beverly Weade, Taehyung and Jinwoo Weade-Jeong, and sister-in-law Bessie Wenger, Wakarusa. She was Mom or Grandma to them all.
The annual Weade Weekend family reunion was the highlight of her year. At her last Weade Weekend in July 2022, she celebrated her 99th birthday and?Beadie being Beadie?she danced with her grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Nila Wenger, twin sister Berniece, brother Richard, and sister Judi.
Visitation is Thursday, September 15, 2022, from 2-7 pm at Rieth Rohrer Ehret Lienhart Funeral Home 117 W. Waterford St., Wakarusa, IN 46573 and also 1 hour prior to a 10 am funeral service Friday, September 16, 2022, at Coalbush United Methodist Church, 15977 Jackson Rd, Mishawaka, IN 46544. Pastor Larry Chrisman will officiate. Burial will follow at Olive (East) Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be given to Coalbush United Methodist Church.
Online condolences may be sent at www.rrefh.com