Beulah Mae DeVore's Obituary
Beulah Mae Fenton, daughter of Emerl and Bessie (Cochran) Fenton was born on December 14, 1931 at her grandparents’ home near Plano, Iowa. She passed away on December 15, 2025 (one day after turning 94) at the Putnam County Memorial Hospital in Unionville, Missouri.
Beulah was raised near Plano attending school there until her high school years, which she attended at Seymour, Iowa. She graduated with the Seymour High School class of 1950. It was while she attended high school that she met the love of her life, Keith Norman DeVore. They were married on May 7, 1950 and purchased a farm south of Seymour where they had row crops and through the years also had dairy milking cows, Angus cattle, sheep, hogs, horses, and chickens. As time went by, they narrowed their livestock down to raising a very nice herd of Angus cattle, which they took much pride in. Beulah still owned cattle and was still living on that same farm until her health declined a year ago and she was moved to the Putnam County Care Center.
While Beulah and Keith were busy on the farm, they became proud parents of Don Norman, Duane Allen, Janet Sue, and Craig Lee. When Don and Duane became old enough, they took over their mother‘s duties of helping Keith in the fields and tending to the livestock. That allowed Beulah time to plant, tend and raise a very large garden with practically every vegetable you can name. She also did all of her own canning, so there would be plentiful supply to last till the next spring. She was an outstanding cook, specializing in so many delicious recipes but the one item everyone enjoyed immensely was her homemade beef and noodles. She was also a very talented seamstress and made most of her own and Janet‘s clothes. When Janet was old enough to join 4-H, Beulah became a 4-H leader and enjoyed that for several years. After Don, Duane and Janet married Beulah and Keith enjoyed going to sports events that Craig participated in, as he was their last child left at home.
Beulah and Keith enjoyed spending evenings with their neighbors, relatives or friends visiting and playing cards. They always had a great time and there was always much laughter. After Keith passed away in 1995, Beulah enjoyed going to the Seymour Community Center joining her lady friends to play cards. She also joined the Centerville Prestige Club and enjoyed the short bus trips to dinner theaters. Beulah also participated for several years going to Branson on a chartered bus with groups of others from Seymour. After she was no longer able to take bus trips, she spent her days at home, putting puzzles together, reading, and watching the Game Show Network, unless the Iowa Hawkeyes were playing on TV. She also enjoyed watching the Dallas Cowboys, which she may have took up from Craig.
Beulah has dealt with several challenges in life. When Keith passed away in 1995, she was left with the responsibility of carrying on the bookwork of her farm and livestock. She had much help from her sons. She was kept busy managing everything that only a widowed farm wife would understand while also grieving. In 2008 Beulah was diagnosed with colon cancer. She faced her battle bravely and her faith in God carried her through her surgery and many weeks of chemo treatments. 10 years later after she became a cancer survivor, her youngest son Craig was faced with a colon cancer diagnosis. However, he sadly lost his battle, which was a tremendous loss for Beulah. Again, she turned to God to help her through this time of grief. Beulah read her Bible often and attended church until her health declined. She was baptized on July 24, 1955 at the first Baptist Church in Seymour.
Beulah enjoyed her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and this year she was blessed with two great-great grandchildren. She was proud of the fact that she lived to see five generations within her own family.
Beulah is survived by her children, Don (Sherry) DeVore, Duane (Jane) DeVore, Janet (Tom) Lenig; sister, Betty Burns; sister-in-law, Carol Fenton; grandchildren, Scott (Amy) DeVore, Angela (Todd) Rogers, Matt (Chantell) DeVore, Ronnie (Jesseca) DeVore, Jennifer (Brandan) Reed, Nancy (T.J.) Cairns, Julie (Travis) Ripperger, Jami (Nic) Shilling, Teela (Tyler) Becker, Trevor (Maddison) DeVore, Shaleigh (Tyler) Lewis, Kylie DeVore, and Callie (Zack) Fenton. She also has 31 great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren, Kevin Poole and his family (whom Beulah considered family), many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents Emerl and Bessie Fenton, husband, Keith DeVore, son, Craig DeVore, brother, Donnie Fenton and sister Mary Lou Levis.
Funeral Services for Beulah will be held Friday, December 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM at The First Baptist Church of Seymour. Visitation will be held Thursday, December 18, 2025 9:00 am to 7:00 pm with family present from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Thomas Funeral Home in Corydon, IA. Memorials in honor of Beulah may be made to the First Baptist Church of Seymour, Seymour First Responders or Seymour Fire Department and mailed to Thomas Funeral Home Attn: DeVore Family PO Box 294 Corydon, IA 50060. Condolences may be shared online at https://www.thomasfh.com> or https://www.facebook.com/thomasfuneralhome
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