FRANCIS BEESON

Funeral mass was held Wednesday, July 7, 2021 at the Assumption Catholic Church in Dante. Burial was in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Dante, with military honors. Visitation was Tuesday at the Peters Funeral Home in Wagner. Rosary/wake services were Tuesday evening, at the church in Dante.

Francis Lee Beeson was born June 9, 1943 at Wagner, the son of Raymond and Grace (Sell) Beeson. He died Sunday, July 4, 2021 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Wagner.

Francis attended country school south of Dante through the eighth grade.

Francis married JoAnn Hron in Dante on September 11, 1967. They farmed south of Dante until 1971. They then moved west of Springfield and farmed there until 1974. They then moved one mile north of Dante where they continued to farm and milk cows. Francis also worked at Chicago Rawhide in Springfield for 25 years, until they closed in 2006. He began working again at Buche Foods in Wagner in 2009 and worked until June 1, 2021.

Francis served his country in the SD National Guard. He was a member of the American Legion.

Francis will be remembered for his love of working, visiting, mowing, just being outdoors, his farm animals, milking cows and especially his dog, Gus, who followed him everywhere. Kids looked forward to “Grandpa Francis” Tootsie Rolls, he always had a pocket full of them. Francis also loved to host bonfires and always had fun with his nieces and nephews.

Thankful for having shared his life are his wife JoAnn of Dante; children: Becky (Irwin) Arndt, Jr. of Owatanna, MN, Jim (Kristi) Beeson of Dante, and Tom (Donna) Beeson of Wagner; eight grandkids: Kylee, McKenzie and Katelyn Arndt, Aaron, Abby and Jillian Beeson, and Jeremy and Melissa Vandenhoek; siblings: Clara Kafka of Wagner, Larry (Sylvia) Beeson of Wagner, and Irene (Jim) Mullen of TX; sisters-in-law: Beverly Beeson of Wagner and Donna Beeson of WA; and many nieces and nephews.

Francis was preceded in death by his daughter Anne Marie Beeson, son David Beeson, grandsons: Brett Beeson and Tim Vandenhoek; sister Anne Schmuck; brothers: Thomas (Alice), Delbert (Arlene), Ray Jr., Bob and Richard (Darleen) Beeson and brother-in-law Richard Kafka.