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Beulah Heavilin (1928-2008)

Visitation: Thursday, Noon-2 pm in Atrium and Hospitality Room at College Wesleyan
Funeral: Thursday, 2:00 pm in Sanctuary

Beulah M. Heavilin, 80, died at 4 a.m. Friday, August 22, 2008, at home.

She was born August 12, 1928, on the church campgrounds on Burr Ridge in Vernon County, Wisc., during the church's annual camp meeting. She was the seventh of eight daughters and one son born to the late Rev. Isaiah and Hazel (Stetling) Butcher. She lived in Wisconsin during the first half of her life, attending two one-room schools: Burr and Mt. Pisgah, as well as city schools in Rice Lake and Spooner, Wisc. She was active in both academic and extracurricular clubs, played oboe in band and violin in orchestra.

Following graduation from Spooner High School in 1945, she enrolled at Miltonvale (KS) Wesleyan College in 1946, taking a two-year associate degree; she transferred to Marion (IN) College (now Indiana Wesleyan University) and completed an AB in secondary education. She was a member of the Miltonvale College Choir and at Marion College as a pianist for a student Gospel team, as well as the assistant to the college nurse.

She taught fifth grade at the West Lima, Wisc., grade school for one year prior to her marriage to John K. Heavilin on August 12, 1952. Her wedding took place on the Burr Wesleyan Campgrounds, where she had been born. For the next 25 years, she served alongside her husband as he pastored four Wesleyan churches in Wisconsin: Gull Lake, Spooner, Hayward and Wisconsin Rapids. She served as pianist, organist, childrens' worker and women's group leader in these churches and was a substitute teacher in the local schools, even though she was diagnosed as having rheumatoid arthritis after their second daughter was born in 1955. During this time she served for more than 12 years as the state treasurer for the Ladies Missionary Societies in Wisconsin.

Two daughters make up the family: Keetha Denis (Greg) Broyles, Marion, and Pamela Rachelle (Joe) Holloway, Carmel, Ind. Beulah joined the Homemakers Club and became an excellent seamstress. She sewed clothes for the entire family, even making wedding dresses for each daughter, as well as a suitable dress for herself for each wedding.

Since 1977, she has lived in Marion, moving here when her husband took a staff/faculty position at Indiana Wesleyan University. In Marion, she became active as a volunteer for various projects at IWU; she hosted/led ladies Bible study groups. She was a member of College Wesleyan Church, where she played in the handbell choir and joined the Best Years Fellowship. She was active in all scheduled services – worship, Sunday school, midweek prayer meeting, women's missionary group and special events – until her health failed her in the past few months. She had an interest in writing, which she further developed in auditing courses at IWU. For over 12 years, she was a regular writer for the Wesleyan Denomination's devotional magazine, "Light From the World." She also wrote articles for her children and has been published in several sources. For the past several years, she read and recorded the Wesleyan Denomination's two publications for several individuals whose sight had failed and could not read them.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years, John; two daughters; six grandchildren, Keri Broyles (Jason) Baker, Bluffton, Ind., Kelly Broyles, Fort Wayne, Ind., Korie Broyles, Indianapolis, Kyle Broyles, Muncie, Ind., Misty Holloway (David) Birky, St. Petersburg, Fla., and Dustin (Kayla) Holloway, Indianapolis; three great-grandchildren, Kaeleigh, Mackindley and Piper Baker, Bluffton, Ind.; two sisters, Doris Butcher (Arlan) Ensign, Eau Claire, Wisc., and Janet Butcher Hubby, Colorado Springs, Colo.; and one brother, Clinton Butcher.

She was preceded in death by her parents, five sisters and four nieces.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the College Wesleyan Church, 200 E. 38th St., Marion, with visitation beginning at noon. For those from Wisconsin unable to attend Marion services, there will be a memorial service at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, in Burr Wesleyan Church, Hillsboro, Wisc., with burial in the Burr Cemetery immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts to either to either World Hope International, 625 Slater Lane, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314-1176; Wesleyan World Missions (Global Partners), P.O. Box 50434, Indianapolis, IN 46350-0434; or Indiana Wesleyan University (for student scholarship fund for College Wesleyan Church), 4001 S. Washington St., Marion IN 46953.