Mary Ella Waidner Beers, 97, of Delavan Lake, died at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center on March 10, 2015, after a short illness.
Mary was born April 6, 1917, in Wilmette, Ill., the daughter of William N. Waidner and Susan Panushka Waidner.
She was a natural leader. At New Trier High School in Winnetka, Ill., she was president of her freshman class, and at Northwestern University, she was president of her sorority, Alpha Phi, and co-chairman of homecoming in 1939. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, and on Sept. 16, 1939, married Thomas Moulding Beers in Wilmette, Ill.
Mary and Tom first met and fell in love on Delavan Lake in 1931 and continued to spend summers sailing there with their four children and enjoying their many friends at the lake. They lived on the Chicago north shore, making their home in Kenilworth, Ill., before moving to Potomac, Maryland, in 1959. Mary was a volunteer in her community wherever she lived and active in her children’s schools and Scout troops, the Junior Leagues of Evanston Ill., and Washington D.C., The Women’s Auxiliary of the National Symphony, the board of the Traveler’s Aid Society, the Kenilworth Union Church and Concord St. Andrews United Methodist Church.
In 1995 they retired to live on Delavan Lake were they had first met. At Delavan, Mary was an active member of the United Church of Christ Congregational of Delavan, Delavan Lake Garden Club, Delavan Lake Yacht Club, Monday Club, and many other community organizations. Mary was an avid traveler, bird watcher, gardener, bridge player and knitter and loved music. She loved to entertain and presided over many gatherings of family and friends. Her gracious manner, sunny smile, and sparkling laugh will be missed by all who knew her.
Mary is survived by two daughters, Dr. Susan Elizabeth Beers (Peter) Betzer, of St. Petersburg, Fla, Nancy Waidner Beers (John) Parsons of Annapolis, Md., and two sons, Dr. Thomas Moulding Beers Jr., of San Diego, Calif., and Richard William (Kay) Beers, of Delavan Lake; a nephew, Steve Beers, of Fontana; six grandchildren; three great grandchildren; and numerous other nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her husband, Tom, and daughter-in-law, Jane Beers.
Funeral services will be at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the UCC-Congregational Church of Delavan with the Rev. Laura McLeod officiating. Burial is in Spring Grove Cemetery. Friends may call at the Betzer Funeral Home from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Memorials may be made to the Jane Beers Memorial Fund, Campanile Foundation, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92812 or the Delavan Lake Sailing School, P.O. Box 72, Delavan, WI 53115.
