Beverly Warns

Beverly Warns, 83, of Madison, SD, went to her heavenly home on Monday, September 16, 2019, at the Brookings Health System.

Funeral service will be 1 PM on Saturday, September 21st at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Wentworth with Rev. Adam Welton officiating. Visitation will be 5-7 PM on Friday at Weiland Funeral Chapel with a prayer service at 7 PM. Visitation will continue on Saturday one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, Wentworth. Online condolences can be sent at www.weilandfuneralchapel.com.

Beverly Jean Pitts was born on March 15, 1936, in Madison, SD, to Perle and Murlie (Williams) Pitts. The oldest of four children, she grew up on a farm northwest of Madison, where she attended country school before graduating as salutatorian of her class of 1954 from Beadle High School, Madison. She attended General Beadle State College (now Dakota State University), where she received a two-year teaching degree and taught in Lake County.

Beverly married Ronald Warns of Madison, SD, on December 26, 1955, having met on a blind date. Ron was stationed in the US Army in Lawton, OK, where they made their home until his discharge in 1959. After returning to Madison, Bev taught elementary school a few years, then was a seamstress at home while her children were young. She was a bookkeeper at Fullerton Lumber in Madison for nine years, and then was the manager of Interlakes Federal Credit Union for nine years before retiring in 1991. She worked part-time as office manager for Benjamin Elliott, CPA, from 1993-95. In 1993-94, Bev researched and wrote over 800 family histories for the publishing of the Lake County History Book.

Bev always had her hands busy knitting, crocheting, or tatting while watching TV or on trips in the car. After purchasing a long-arm quilting machine, Bev discovered her true passion. She used her quilting machine to make over 1,000 quilts that were donated to the Furniture Mission in Sioux Falls, and to area domestic house shelters. In addition, she made quilts for high school graduates who were members of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, as well as special quilts for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In June 2019, Bev moved to United Living Community in Brookings, where she continued crocheting potholders for the staff and her family.

Those left to cherish her memory are her son, Marty (Sue) Warns of Madison, SD; two daughters, Marlys (Jeff) Arneson of Flandreau, SD and Marsha Ellison of Madison, SD; 6 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; brother, David Pitts of Madison, SD; sister, Rose (Jerry) Pedersen of Cannon Falls, MN; and a sister-in-law, Linda (Jon) Johnson of Lakefield, MN.