Beverly Lee (Baughman) Haefele was born May 31, 1928 in Topeka, KS. She died peacefully in her sleep on April 16, 2022 in Lincoln, NE at age 93.
Beverly grew up as an only child in Lecompton and Topeka, Kansas as both of her siblings died shortly after birth. As a girl she was proud of her elocution and dance lessons that earned her the ingenue roles she enjoyed on stage. In her youth, she learned a fierce independence that would shape much of the course of her life, including defying her parents to elope with a young man she pursued as they both attended Washburn University in Topeka. She married Richard Haefele on January 29, 1949. Richard had arranged a wedding with a Methodist minister across state lines in Butler, MO where it was legal for her to marry without her parents permission before she was 21. When they arrived at the church, there was a funeral being conducted. Beverly didn’t want to have funeral flowers at her wedding, so they were married in the parsonage before the minister conducted the graveside service. She always quipped that she was literally married in the middle of a funeral. Apparently that wasn’t a problem as their marriage lasted 71 years until Richard’s death in 2020.
Richard and Beverly moved to Ulysses, KS in 1952 where they raised four children, Claudia Jo Flenniken of Eureka, CA, Richard Mark Haefele who preceded her in death in 2003, Mareta Lee Tate of Lawrence, KS, and Christian Kyle Haefele of Lincoln NE. While raising her children, Beverly worked as a welfare agent, an insurance agent, KULY radio news writer and broadcaster. She also managed the bookkeeping for Haefele Construction.
She was socially conscious and community minded. She was a member of Eastern Star for 60 years, and served as advisor for the Rainbow Girls. She worked as a Girl Scout Leader, Camp Director and Tumbleweed Council member. She worked on the election board, the fair board, the Ulysses Golf Course board of directors and taught ladies’ golf, directed the Community Chest, Hospital Auxiliary, and worked community blood drives. She helped establish the Grant County Recreation Commission and later served on the Recreation Board. And she was the first woman ever elected to the Ulysses City Council.
Despite all these accomplishments she lists motherhood as her most satisfying job and raising her children as her proudest achievement.
Combined graveside service for Richard and Beverly Haefele will be at Maple Grove Cemetery in Lecompton, KS at a later date. Remembrances may be left on the Butherus, Maser and Love Funeral Home website at https://www.bmlfh.com/ . Memorials may be sent to the Bob Wilson Memorial Grant County Hospital Auxiliary, 415 N Main, Ulysses, KS 67880 or to the charity of your choice.
