Beulah Faye Watkins

Beulah Faye was born February 1, 1918 to Joseph Benson Hamilton and Charlotte “Lottie” Elizabeth (Roll) Hamilton. Beulah was the second of nine children, after sister Murriel. These first two were born one-half mile south of the Sumner-Sedgwick county line, on Hydraulic Avenue. Following were Inez, Howard, Richard, Ralph, Clara Beth, Glenn, and Gary. In childhood, Beulah battled tuberculosis. She remembered Dr. Bartlett mixing his vitamin concoctions, saying he saved her life. Most of her childhood was spent on what was known as the Downs farm, a half section of Ninnescah Valley land, attending Meeker School, and graduating from Belle Plaine High School. She lamented having been a teenager during the Great Depression, and remembered watching from her classroom window as a dust storm from western Kansas enveloped Belle Plaine. Gerald Watkins began courting Beulah in 1939. She recalled hearing on the radio, while on their way to the Kansas State Fair, of Hitler’s armies invading Poland. Later, with World War II on, Gerald was granted an exemption from service and they were married January 25, 1942 at the Belle Plaine Methodist parsonage. To this union three children were born. The first, Jerald Bruce, succumbed to heart failure after a few days of life in 1943. In 1950, they and their two children, Carmen and Alan, moved to the Watkins farm west of Belle Plaine, after Gerald had remodeled and modernized the farm house. During Beulah’s married life, she was an active member of the Belle Plaine community, serving in the Methodist Church, Farmers Union, 4-H, and Stitch and Chatter. She was also known for her wedding cake baking and decorating. Gerald passed in 1990. Beulah never lived farther than eight miles from her birthplace until, at the age of 98, she began living with her daughter Carmen and son-in-law, Joe, in Naples, Florida. While there, she rode through the eye of Hurricane Irma in a sturdy warehouse with Carmen and Joe. On May 15, 2020 Beulah passed from this life while in Naples. Surviving are a sister, Inez Savage of Tucson, Arizona, daughter Carmen Farinas (Joseph) of Naples, Florida, son Alan Watkins (Mattie) of Grove, Oklahoma, three grandchildren, Anthony Farinas, Michelle Farinas Carrier (Dan), and Stephanie Watkins Pankewich (Skip), and five great grandchildren, Emerald, Calvin, Ben, Zachary, and Madeleine. Graveside services were held May 28, 2020, at Belle Plaine Cemetery, with Rev. Jacob Maforo officiating.