Bryant Funeral Home and Nicholson-Ricke Funeral Home: Obituaries

Ressa E. Otte Beagley, 95, died October 24, 2009. She was born on a farm near Pawnee Rock, Kansas, June 20, 1914, the daughter of Mervin D. and Mary E. (Weber) Barrett. She grew up west of Great Bend and attended the area country school. While attending high school she lived with the Hemker family in Great Bend and worked at Montgomery Wards. In 1933 she graduated from Great Bend High School. She was united in marriage to Walter Henry Otte October 20, 1933 in Manhattan, Kansas. He preceded her in death on February 18, 1963 in a farm accident. She was later married to Roy Beagley. He preceded her in death on December 31, 1986. She was a homemaker, raising four daughters on a farm west of Great Bend while Walter farmed and raised registered Milking Shorthorn Cattle.

Mrs. Beagley was a member of the First United Methodist Church . She and Walter were co-leaders of the Walnut Valley 4-H Club for 20 years. In the 1950's she started her cooking career for the Great Bend School District at Countryside School and later at Barton County College.

In addition to her husbands, Ressa was preceded in death by her parents, one sister, and one brother.

Survivors include four daughters: Marilyn Klug and husband, Doug, Anchorage, Alaska; Janet Stratton & husband Gary, Hays, Kansas; Barbara A. Price and husband, Ron, Manhattan, Kansas; and LaVonne Gerritzen, Great Bend; nine grandchildren; twenty great-grandchildren; and fifteen great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at the First United Methodist Church with the Reverend Tom Sheldon officiating. Visitation to celebrate Ressa’s life will follow the funeral services in the church basement. A private burial will follow later in the afternoon at the Great Bend Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at Bryant Funeral Home with the family to receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Memorial contributions can be made to the First United Methodist Church, in care of the funeral home.