Longtime educator Sister Rachel Beeson dies
October 23, 2024
Sister Rachel Beeson, CHM, 92, died Oct. 22 at Bishop Drumm Care Center in Johnston.
Marietta Marie Beeson was born Feb. 7, 1932, in Des Moines to Earl and Johanna (Olmstead) Beeson. She entered the Congregation of the Humility of Mary in 1950 and professed vows in 1953 as Sister Mary Rachel.
Sister Rachel Beeson
Sister earned her teaching certificate from Ottumwa Heights College in Ottumwa, Iowa, in 1953, and then took classes on Saturdays for ten years to earn her BA in education from Marycrest College, Davenport, Iowa. Starting in 1967, she worked toward her master’s degree in elementary education through Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, completing the program in 1972. Later, in 1983-1984, she earned a Certification of Ministry through the St. Louis University Corporate Ministry Program in St. Louis, Missouri.
Sister Rachel served as a teacher and principal in Catholic and public schools for 38 years, beginning in 1953 in Cosgrove, Iowa. In the Diocese of Des Moines, she served at St. Joseph in Dunlap, St. Anthony in Des Mones, St. Pius X in Urbandale, and St. Albert in Council Bluffs.
Also in Iowa, she served as a founding teacher at St. Mary (Oskaloosa), St. Mary (Centerville), St. Vincent (Davenport), and St. Mary (Albia). She also served in St. Austin, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and St. Denis in Benton, Missouri.
In 1981, she stepped away from formal education to help move her religious community from Ottumwa to Davenport, serving as plant coordinator for the Ottumwa Heights motherhouse and coordinator of retired sisters at Marycrest College, where the sisters lived until the new Humility of Mary Center was complete.
Although busy, since she missed working with children, during this time she also taught religious education at St. Mary in Ottumwa. During her year (1983-1984) at St. Louis University, she also served as a counselor for the New Life Style Program, and then returned to education. From 1984-1987, she served as principal for North Catholic in Clinton, Iowa, overseeing the merging of multiple buildings into one large new school, and then served as principal of Hayes Catholic Elementary in Muscatine, Iowa. At Hayes, she took part in adding a preschool program and many renovations, staying until 1994, when she decided to “sort of retire.”
During retirement, Sister served as the religious education coordinator for St. Anthony Church in Knoxville, Iowa from 1994-2002, was part of the Humility sisters’ Seeds of Hope team from 2003-2011, an extension program sssistant for the Humility sisters from 2005-2008, and a minister of prayer and witness at the Humility of Mary Center starting in 2011.
She was appointed to the Holy Childhood Association Committee for the Diocese of Davenport in 1987. In 2001, Sister was elected to the leadership team of the Sisters Consortium of the Diocese of Davenport and in 2003, she was elected to the Sisters Council for the Iowa Catholic Conference.
Sister Rachel was an avid jigsaw puzzle worker and helped to make the community room a place of gathering and sharing stories. When she moved to Bishop Drumm Retirement Center, she continued this hobby, often joined by her brother, Monsignor Lawrence Beeson.
Sister Rachel was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Everett and Robert, and infant sister Harriett Beeson. She is survived by brothers, Justin Beeson and Msgr. Lawrence Beeson, and sister, Rachel Norton, numerous nieces and nephews and her religious community.
Services will be on Thursday, Oct. 24 at Bishop Drumm Our Lady of Peace Chapel with visitation from 2 - 3:30 p.m. and a memorial service at 3:30 p.m.
On Friday, Oct. 25, at the Humility of Mary Center in Davenport there will be a rosary and visitation at 4 p.m. and vigil service at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, Oct. 26, a Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 am, followed by interment at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Davenport.
Memorials may be made to the Congregation of the Humility of Mary. Online condolences are welcome at www.ilesfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements by Iles Dunn's Chapel.