Eileen Beare

Eileen Beare, age 95, of Milbank, SD, died Thursday, February 25, 2016 at the Milbank Area Hospital – Avera Health in Milbank, SD.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Milbank with Father Gary DeRouchey celebrating the Mass. Burial will follow in St. Lawrence Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at Mundwiler Funeral Home and will continue at the church on Wednesday, one hour prior to the Mass.

Casket bearers will be Eileen’s grandsons: Jeff Whitt, Jim Whitt, Dustin Beare, Nick Beare, Zach Beare, R.J. Helsper and Max Beare.

Eileen was born on May 20, 1920, in Hecla, SD, to Irl and Agnes Van Orman. Eileen was the third of four children. Her brothers Kenneth Van Orman, Duane Van Orman and Bill Van Orman preceded her in death. She graduated from Hecla High School and attended Northern State Teachers College. On August 22, 1942, in Aberdeen, SD, Eileen was united in marriage to Vern Leo Beare. To this union, nine children were born.

Eileen was a devoted housewife and mother. When her younger children were teenagers, Eileen managed the Milbank Golf and Country Club during the summer months for a number of years. She took pride in serving great meals to the women’s and men’s golf leagues. She was an efficient and organized manager and ran the club so well that “in the day” it was the “place to be for a good time.”

Eileen’s family will treasure the memory of their mother sitting at the piano playing and singing the latest popular songs. She made sure that all of her children were involved in extra curricular activities whether it was taking piano lessons, voice lessons, tap, ballet, Hawaiian dancing, baseball, basketball, swimming, football, golf, debate, class plays, etc. She loved to sing and dance and in her young years was a tap dancer and taught tap while in high school. Eileen was also an artist and was talented in drawing. Eileen and Vern loved to dance and could do it all from Square dancing, the jitterbug and ballroom dancing. They also enjoyed golfing, boating, and spending time at Big Stone Lake and Lake Okoboji with their children and grandchildren.

Left to cherish Eileen’s memory are her children: Pat Whitt (Bob) of Cedar Falls, IA and their children, Jennifer, Jeff, and Jim; Mike Beare of Milbank; Dave Beare (Wendy) of Sioux Falls, SD and their children, Dustin and Kristen; Kate Gaspar (Denny) of Sioux Falls, SD and their children, Meghan and Kelly; Tom Beare (Jan) of Sioux Falls, SD and their children Nick and Zach; Jim Beare (Wendy) of Aberdeen, SD and their children Alyson and Erica; Steve Beare (Chris) of Aberdeen, SD and their children, Rachael and Max; Mary Helsper (Rich) of Brookings and their children, Nicole, Elizabeth, Kaylin, and R.J.; 17 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Irl and Agnes; husband, Vern Beare; son, Robert Beare; brothers, Kenneth Van Orman, Duane Van Orman and Bill Van Orman.