Beverly Leazer

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Beverly Marshall Winters Leazer was born on June 30th, 1937 in Van Buren County, Iowa. She died on September 28th, 2022.

Those spare details don’t even begin to explain what a remarkable woman she was. My mother was born into the Marshall clan. We all loved, laughed, argued, and fought with equal passion. Mom and her four surviving siblings learned how hard life was during the lead-up to WW2.  She was a farm kid at the tail end of the Depression. She learned a frugality and work ethic that served her well throughout her entire life. She graduated from Bonaparte High School in 1955, and worked hard her entire adult life.

Beverly married Robert Winters in 1956. The marriage was a disappointment for her. So, Bev did the unthinkable in 1963. She got a divorce and started over.

Beverly was a hard worker. She worked at the Stutzman boarding house before and after school each day. She worked at the Glove Factory in Bonaparte for a time. She worked for over 30 years at Universal Producing Company, and was still working there when the plant closed. In her second career, she joined my stepdad at Leazer’s TV and Appliance, where she worked until the business closed in 2017.

Beverly was fierce, because a single parent had to be to survive in those days. She would hold anyone to high standards and let them know if they fell short, in clear and uncertain terms. If you deserved it, she’d take the bark off of you very quickly. Beverly was the very definition of a strong woman, at a time when that was not universally appreciated. 

Beverly was generous. Beverly was forgiving. Beverly never ever gave up on building a better life for us.  When she met and married Garold Leazer, that dream came true for all three of us. United in marriage in 1970, their partnership lasted until Garold’s death in 2015. It was a terrible loss that bent her, but did not break her.

Beverly spent her sunset years enjoying family time with us, her four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was an inspiration to all of her family.

She is survived by her son, Cyrus Winters, (daughter-in-law Shirley Winters). Grandchildren include Aaron Winters (Miranda), Sarah Stouffer (Ben), Rebecca Jaschen (Brian), and Deborah Lyon (Scott) Great-grandchildren include Elizabeth Winters, Lilly Winters, Laura Stouffer, Levi Stouffer, Meliah Jaschen, Eliot Lyon, and Cyrus Lyon. Beverly is also survived by brothers Wayne Marshall (Lavona), Eugene Marshall, and sisters Karen Marshall, and Teresa Loving (Dale). Beverly is preceded in death by her husband, Garold Leazer, parents Clarence Marshall and Velda Marshall, brother Marvin Marshall, sister Sandra Marshall, and numerous nieces and nephews. 

We will miss having her with us. We mourn her absence. But we know that our separation is temporary, and that we will see her again in Heaven. Our circle remains unbroken.

Funeral services will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at the Cranston Family Funeral Home in Fairfield, IA with Jason Crandall officiating. Burial will be held privately at the Evergreen Cemetery in Fairfield. Visitation will begin at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, at the Cranston Family Funeral Home in Fairfield with the family present to greet friends from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Memorial contributions in Beverly’s honor may be directed to the Heartland Humane Society in Ottumwa. Friends may leave online condolences at www.cranstonfamilyfuneralhome.com.

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