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'Bette' Bevins
ELIZABETH "BETTE" BEVINS
Belle Plaine
Elizabeth "Bette" J. (Kleiman) Bevins, 85, of Belle Plaine, passed away peacefully at home Thursday, April 28, 2016, after a long illness.
Celebration Mass will be Monday, May 2, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Michaels's Catholic Church in Belle Plaine. A visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 1, at Hrabak Funeral Home, Belle Plaine. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Bette was born July 19, 1930, the oldest of five children to Roy and Georgia Kleiman in Oelwein. She married Michael C. Bevins on Sept. 14, 1950. Together they had five children. The majority of their 65 years have been in Belle Plaine.
If you have ever used a recipe from St. Michael's orange cookbook, benefited from the Belle Plaine Ambulance Service, have enjoyed the current Belle Plaine library, or received your First Communion catechism lessons, then you have a happy memory of Bette. She loved collaborating and leading several church and community organizations. Her years of service for St. Michael's included Altar & Rosary, organization of church and priest anniversary celebrations, lector and choir member. What remained closest to her heart were the 25 years she taught her second- grade First Communion students.
She headed the fund drive for re-establishment of the ambulance service, Fourth of July celebrations and was past president of the Belle Plaine Library board of trustees, where she oversaw the construction of the present library. While president of the Band Boosters, she created the community birthday calendar. She also enjoyed Portia Club and Meals on Wheels.
Bette is survived by her husband, Mike; four children, Daniel (Susan) Bevins of Belle Plaine, Victoria Pavisha of Colorado Springs, Colo., Tracy (Ted) Novak of Elberon and Scott (Kelly) Bevins of Belle Plaine; grandchildren, Ryan, Rachel, Rob, Elizabeth, Anna Marie, Caitlin, Ben and Kristen; stepgrand-children, Jason, Shawn and Corey; and five great-grandchildren.
Bette was preceded in death by her parents; infant son, Steve; brothers, Jake and Bill Kleiman; and grandson, Nick.
Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.hrabakfuneralhome.com.
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