Beverly "Bev" Spence

Beverly "Bev" Spence, 79, of Marshalltown, passed away Saturday, September 21, 2024 at the Iowa River Hospice Home.

Services for Bev will take place on Friday, September 27 at 10:30 A.M. at Mitchell Family Funeral Home. She will be laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery. Those in attendance are encouraged to dress in casual attire. Friends and family are also invited to attend a visitation on Thursday, September 26 from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. at Mitchell Family Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Iowa River Hospice or the Marshalltown Animal Rescue League. For online condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. Ph. 641-844-1234.

Born Beverly Frances Carr on February 26, 1945 in Oskaloosa, Iowa, she was the oldest of three children born to Francis and Catherine (Russell) Carr. Bev grew up in Marshalltown, where she graduated from MHS in 1963. After meeting the love of her life, Elgin Spence, the couple was united in marriage on August 26, 1967 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Bev worked at McGregor’s Funiture and then stayed home for several years to raise their children. As a dedicated wife and mother, she cherished this time with her two kids. During this time she served as the Woodbury Elementary PTA President and also had the opportunity to provide childcare for many friends and family. When the children grew older, she went to work at Pleasant Hill, which led to her career at Area 6, retiring in 2010.

Bev was full of personality and loved to prank, tease and joke around with everyone she knew. Naturally, her favorite day of the year was April Fools’ Day. She enjoyed keeping in touch with people and especially loved spending her summers on the deck with her neighbors Linda and Debbie as well as the rest of the “Sharon Avenue gang.” She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church and a “Ladies Card Club.” She loved to read and play games on her phone. Bev also had an artistic side, showcased through cake-baking, ceramics and crocheting, to name a few. More than anything, she loved spending time with her family and especially adored her two grandchildren.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband of 57 years, Elgin; two children: Scott (Emily) Spence of Ankeny and Lisa (Chad) Mull of Conrad; two grandchildren: Alice and Lucas; siblings: Mike (Leslie) Carr and Donna Nepstad; brothers-in-law: Rod Spence and Gary (Cheryl) Spence; sisters-in-law: Diana Miller, Pam Spence and Cathy Landas; and numerous nieces and nephews and their families. She is also blessed to be remembered by the Gruver clan and many other friends who have become family over the years.

Bev is preceded in death by her daughter Tera in infancy, her parents Francis and Catherine Carr, brothers-in-law Lorin Miller and Gary Landas, sister-in-law Nancy Spence, father-in-law and mother-in-law Earl and Maxine Spence, nephew Nate Carr, niece Tori Landas and great-great-niece Lilith Kay.