Faye Marie (Branson) Beasley was born Oct. 25, 1932, near Raymondville, Missouri in a house built by her father, George Washington Branson, that is still standing on the same property where she lived her entire life. She passed on to her eternal reward in heaven Sept. 25, 2024, after a period of hospital and hospice care.
While attending grade school at Friendship School, where she walked to school across pasture and hayfields, she met the love of her life, Verlin Beasley, who also walked two miles to school through the woods. After several years of friendship and dating, they were married April 7, 1951, being very blessed with over 73 years of marriage. With both of them being from very large families, they took every opportunity from their very busy work lives and raising an ever increasing family of five children, to visit relatives in Texas, Minnesota, Illinois and other places to enjoy life to its fullest, and be involved with every facet of their children’s, grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s school lives and activities as much as possible.
After graduating from Houston High School in 1950, she attended Draughon’s Business College in Springfield while dating Verlin, and he would usually take her there then pick her up for weekend visits back home in his new 1949 Ford. After marriage, she helped run the country store started by her father near his house, and they began their family, while living in the back of the store, until Verlin built their new house beside the store, in 1963. After closing down the store, she began her long career of 33 years with the U.S. Post Office, working in Rolla, Lenox and then as postmaster at the Raymondville office from 1981 until retirement in 1992. She and Verlin were able to attend a postal convention in Hawaii in 1991.
With various family members over the years, they also visited Pikes Peak, Palo Duro Canyon in Texas, Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park, Niagara Falls, Noah’s Ark in Kentucky, Salt Lake City and looked down on the Royal Gorge and saw the train traveling a mile deep in the canyon. She walked across the Mississippi River on a foot log (at its source in Minnesota), went shopping in Mexico and Canada and climbed the Washington Monument step by step. She waded in the Atlantic Ocean and saw the bottom of the ocean floor of the Pacific in a submarine, and rode a boat in the Gulf of Mexico. She toured the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C. when her brother worked there, after he survived the Pearl Harbor attack. In Chicago, she rode the fastest elevator in the world – 130 stories in 58 seconds. She stood on the launchpad of Cape Canaveral, Florida, near a space shuttle, and also toured Cypress Gardens, Florida.
Her family and her church were her most important things in life, she attended Friendship Church, then Raymondville Methodist Church, where she was church treasurer for 33 years, and in later years attended the Raymondville Community Church. She could always be counted on for her excellent pies and delicious food for church suppers or to take to a grieving family in times of loss. She was always very involved in community betterment fundraising activities, a member of the Blue Heaven Club for many years, and also the Gideon’s Ladies Auxiliary for 30+ years. She loved to sew and make quilts for the family members, which will be cherished. Another memory is that her family teased her that her primary doctor was Dr Pepper, as you never had to ask her what she wanted to drink. She always took great pride in the fact and wanted everyone to know that her great uncle Reuben Branson started the town of Branson, Missouri. She and Verlin greatly enjoyed attending shows in Branson whenever possible, and they have many pictures of them taken with numerous celebrities at the many shows they attended over the years.
Nothing made her happier than having all her family and large extended family together for holidays, reunions or any time possible, where all were greeted with a big smile and a hug, and enough food to feed an army. If anyone else showed up during meal time, they were soon included in the crowd at the table, and if anybody ever left her house with an empty stomach, it definitely wasn’t her fault. It was very important to her for all family members to get together for Christmas, and in recent years when the family numbered over 50, the house would be bursting at the seams but there was always room for one more. For a benefit auction for her son Roger’s health problems, she made six pies which brought over $100 each, and anybody that ever ate any of her pies would say they were worth that and more.
She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, four sisters, and oldest son Roger in 2018. She is survived by her husband, Verlin; children, Beverly (Ron) Ely, Dennis (Lynn) Beasley, Danny (Debbie) Beasley and Denise (Steve) Pemberton; daughter-in-law, Connie; 12 grandchildren, Jason (Bonnie) Beasley, Jeff (Jerica) Beasley, Justin Beasley, Chris (Laura) Ely, Mike (Trish) Ely, Aaron (Rachel) Ely, Tami {Steve) Gates, Phillip Beasley, Dustin Beasley, Kassy Adams, Megan (Kirk) Backus and Stephanie (Joe) Miller; 25 great-grandchildren, Hannah, Alex, Kyson, Kayzlynn, Kessler, Kenadi, Samson, Bentley, Cyrus, Paisley, Scarlett, Devin, Brendan, Andrew, Brynn, Loren, Ann, Steve, Matthias, Sophie, Malachi, Declan, Gideon, Theodore and Ava; as well as a host of relatives and friends from coast to coast who were very blessed to know her at some point in their lives.
Her life is best described in Proverbs 31, “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life … She is clothed with strength and dignity … She watches over the affairs of her household. Her children arise and call her blessed. Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise.” She will be remembered for her love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Visitation for Faye was held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 at Evans Funeral Home in Houston. Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28 at the funeral home, with interment at Friendship Cemetery near Raymondville. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Gideon’s Ministry, in care of Evans Funeral Home, or to the charity of your choice. Arrangements entrusted to Evans Funeral Home. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.evansfh.com.
