Beatrice "Bea" Githens, 93, of Kissee Mills died Monday, September 8, 2014 at her daughter's residence. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, September 13th at the Forsyth Community Presbyterian Church with Pastor Dennis Winzenried officiating. Military graveside services will be held at a later date at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield, Missouri.
Beatrice Githens was born Friday, December 3, 1920 in Pettigrew, Arkansas to Charles L. and Fannie J. (Swanson) Baker. Her family soon moved to Stilwell, OK where she attended school. In her early twenties, she moved to Wichita, KS where she worked for Boeing Manufacturing, assembling airplanes for the war. She then enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp in 1944 and was stationed in Fort Logan, CO. This is where she met George Githens, who was also serving there. They were married shortly thereafter on May 19, 1945 while still serving. Bea was honorably discharged with the rank of PFC in 1945. She was awarded the American Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.
After the service, they resided in Tulsa, OK for a short time, and then on to Liberal, KS. At Liberal, they established Liberal Aircraft, Inc. and operated the airport from 1946 to 1971. After selling Liberal Aircraft, they moved to Blue Mesa, CO and managed Blue Mesa Campground. They semi-retired to Forsyth in 1977 and bought Forsyth Welding and Ornamental Iron, where Bea served as bookkeeper. After two years, they sold the business and fully retired. In May of 2007, they sold their home in Forsyth and moved to Kissee Mills.
Bea was truly 'one-of-kind'! She was always energetic, up-front, loving, and a genuine people person. Her main focus was on her family and friends. She was a lifetime member of the Ladies Auxiliary V.F.W Post# 5168 and a founding member of the Lady Patriots. A recent highlight of Bea's was her ride on the Honor Flight to the War Memorial in Washington D.C. in 2012. Bea also belonged to the Forsyth Community Presbyterian Church and was a past member of Beta Sigma Phi, an international women's social and service organization.
In her free time through the years, she enjoyed socializing and dancing, gardening, golfing, fishing, entertaining, and oil painting. Most of all, she cherished her time with family, especially with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by one daughter, Linda Reynolds of Kissee Mills; two sisters, Opal Osbon of Satanta, KS, Mary Talbot of Coffeyville, OK; three grandchildren, James Jasper and wife, Joanna of Kissee Mills, Kyle Jasper of New Orleans, LA, Jennifer Crouch and husband Zachary of Merriam Woods and five great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Austin, Dylan, Loran and Kage.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, George; a daughter, Gwendolyn Jo Grant; three brothers, Bill, Ray and Mervin Barker and four sisters Thelma, Lorene, Faye and Oleta.
Memorials in memory of Beatrice Githens may be made to Hospice Compassus, 3044 Shepherd of the Hills Expressway, Branson, MO 65616.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Kissee-Schofield-Eakins Funeral Home, Forsyth.
`
Beatrice Githens was born Friday, December 3, 1920 in Pettigrew, Arkansas to Charles L. and Fannie J. (Swanson) Baker. Her family soon moved to Stilwell, OK where she attended school. In her early twenties, she moved to Wichita, KS where she worked for Boeing Manufacturing, assembling airplanes for the war. She then enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp in 1944 and was stationed in Fort Logan, CO. This is where she met George Githens, who was also serving there. They were married shortly thereafter on May 19, 1945 while still serving. Bea was honorably discharged with the rank of PFC in 1945. She was awarded the American Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.
After the service, they resided in Tulsa, OK for a short time, and then on to Liberal, KS. At Liberal, they established Liberal Aircraft, Inc. and operated the airport from 1946 to 1971. After selling Liberal Aircraft, they moved to Blue Mesa, CO and managed Blue Mesa Campground. They semi-retired to Forsyth in 1977 and bought Forsyth Welding and Ornamental Iron, where Bea served as bookkeeper. After two years, they sold the business and fully retired. In May of 2007, they sold their home in Forsyth and moved to Kissee Mills.
Bea was truly 'one-of-kind'! She was always energetic, up-front, loving, and a genuine people person. Her main focus was on her family and friends. She was a lifetime member of the Ladies Auxiliary V.F.W Post# 5168 and a founding member of the Lady Patriots. A recent highlight of Bea's was her ride on the Honor Flight to the War Memorial in Washington D.C. in 2012. Bea also belonged to the Forsyth Community Presbyterian Church and was a past member of Beta Sigma Phi, an international women's social and service organization.
In her free time through the years, she enjoyed socializing and dancing, gardening, golfing, fishing, entertaining, and oil painting. Most of all, she cherished her time with family, especially with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by one daughter, Linda Reynolds of Kissee Mills; two sisters, Opal Osbon of Satanta, KS, Mary Talbot of Coffeyville, OK; three grandchildren, James Jasper and wife, Joanna of Kissee Mills, Kyle Jasper of New Orleans, LA, Jennifer Crouch and husband Zachary of Merriam Woods and five great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Austin, Dylan, Loran and Kage.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, George; a daughter, Gwendolyn Jo Grant; three brothers, Bill, Ray and Mervin Barker and four sisters Thelma, Lorene, Faye and Oleta.
Memorials in memory of Beatrice Githens may be made to Hospice Compassus, 3044 Shepherd of the Hills Expressway, Branson, MO 65616.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Kissee-Schofield-Eakins Funeral Home, Forsyth.
`
Beatrice "Bea" Githens, 93, of Kissee Mills died Monday, September 8, 2014 at her daughter's residence. A memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, September 13th at the Forsyth Community Presbyterian Church with Pastor Dennis Winzenried officiating. Military graveside services will be held at a later date at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield, Missouri.
Beatrice Githens was born Friday, December 3, 1920 in Pettigrew, Arkansas to Charles L. and Fannie J. (Swanson) Baker. Her family soon moved to Stilwell, OK where she attended school. In her early twenties, she moved to Wichita, KS where she worked for Boeing Manufacturing, assembling airplanes for the war. She then enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp in 1944 and was stationed in Fort Logan, CO. This is where she met George Githens, who was also serving there. They were married shortly thereafter on May 19, 1945 while still serving. Bea was honorably discharged with the rank of PFC in 1945. She was awarded the American Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.
After the service, they resided in Tulsa, OK for a short time, and then on to Liberal, KS. At Liberal, they established Liberal Aircraft, Inc. and operated the airport from 1946 to 1971. After selling Liberal Aircraft, they moved to Blue Mesa, CO and managed Blue Mesa Campground. They semi-retired to Forsyth in 1977 and bought Forsyth Welding and Ornamental Iron, where Bea served as bookkeeper. After two years, they sold the business and fully retired. In May of 2007, they sold their home in Forsyth and moved to Kissee Mills.
Bea was truly 'one-of-kind'! She was always energetic, up-front, loving, and a genuine people person. Her main focus was on her family and friends. She was a lifetime member of the Ladies Auxiliary V.F.W Post# 5168 and a founding member of the Lady Patriots. A recent highlight of Bea's was her ride on the Honor Flight to the War Memorial in Washington D.C. in 2012. Bea also belonged to the Forsyth Community Presbyterian Church and was a past member of Beta Sigma Phi, an international women's social and service organization.
In her free time through the years, she enjoyed socializing and dancing, gardening, golfing, fishing, entertaining, and oil painting. Most of all, she cherished her time with family, especially with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by one daughter, Linda Reynolds of Kissee Mills; two sisters, Opal Osbon of Satanta, KS, Mary Talbot of Coffeyville, OK; three grandchildren, James Jasper and wife, Joanna of Kissee Mills, Kyle Jasper of New Orleans, LA, Jennifer Crouch and husband Zachary of Merriam Woods and five great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Austin, Dylan, Loran and Kage.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, George; a daughter, Gwendolyn Jo Grant; three brothers, Bill, Ray and Mervin Barker and four sisters Thelma, Lorene, Faye and Oleta.
Memorials in memory of Beatrice Githens may be made to Hospice Compassus, 3044 Shepherd of the Hills Expressway, Branson, MO 65616.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Kissee-Schofield-Eakins Funeral Home, Forsyth.
`
Beatrice Githens was born Friday, December 3, 1920 in Pettigrew, Arkansas to Charles L. and Fannie J. (Swanson) Baker. Her family soon moved to Stilwell, OK where she attended school. In her early twenties, she moved to Wichita, KS where she worked for Boeing Manufacturing, assembling airplanes for the war. She then enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp in 1944 and was stationed in Fort Logan, CO. This is where she met George Githens, who was also serving there. They were married shortly thereafter on May 19, 1945 while still serving. Bea was honorably discharged with the rank of PFC in 1945. She was awarded the American Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.
After the service, they resided in Tulsa, OK for a short time, and then on to Liberal, KS. At Liberal, they established Liberal Aircraft, Inc. and operated the airport from 1946 to 1971. After selling Liberal Aircraft, they moved to Blue Mesa, CO and managed Blue Mesa Campground. They semi-retired to Forsyth in 1977 and bought Forsyth Welding and Ornamental Iron, where Bea served as bookkeeper. After two years, they sold the business and fully retired. In May of 2007, they sold their home in Forsyth and moved to Kissee Mills.
Bea was truly 'one-of-kind'! She was always energetic, up-front, loving, and a genuine people person. Her main focus was on her family and friends. She was a lifetime member of the Ladies Auxiliary V.F.W Post# 5168 and a founding member of the Lady Patriots. A recent highlight of Bea's was her ride on the Honor Flight to the War Memorial in Washington D.C. in 2012. Bea also belonged to the Forsyth Community Presbyterian Church and was a past member of Beta Sigma Phi, an international women's social and service organization.
In her free time through the years, she enjoyed socializing and dancing, gardening, golfing, fishing, entertaining, and oil painting. Most of all, she cherished her time with family, especially with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by one daughter, Linda Reynolds of Kissee Mills; two sisters, Opal Osbon of Satanta, KS, Mary Talbot of Coffeyville, OK; three grandchildren, James Jasper and wife, Joanna of Kissee Mills, Kyle Jasper of New Orleans, LA, Jennifer Crouch and husband Zachary of Merriam Woods and five great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Austin, Dylan, Loran and Kage.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, George; a daughter, Gwendolyn Jo Grant; three brothers, Bill, Ray and Mervin Barker and four sisters Thelma, Lorene, Faye and Oleta.
Memorials in memory of Beatrice Githens may be made to Hospice Compassus, 3044 Shepherd of the Hills Expressway, Branson, MO 65616.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Kissee-Schofield-Eakins Funeral Home, Forsyth.
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