JOSEPHINE “JO”BEINGESSNER, OF VULCAN, FORMERLY OF CHAMPION PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY AT VULCAN, ALBERTA SEPTEMBER 24, 1998 AT THE AGE OF 92 YEARS.
JO WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 11, 1906 AT SISSETON, SOUTH DAKOTA TO OLE AND JOHANNA GROVER. SHE CAME WITH HER PARENTS TO MEDICINE HAT, ALBERTA AND LATER TO MANYBERRIES WHERE SHE ATTENDED SCHOOL FOR TEN YEARS. SHE BEGAN WORKING IN THE HOTEL AT MANYBERRIES, LOOKING AFTER THE ROOMS AND ANSWERING THE TELEPHONE. WHERE SHE RECEIVED THE REPUTATION AS “HELLO GIRL”. JO WORKED THERE FOR THREE YEARS AND THEN MOVED TO CHAMPION TO WORK FOR HER SISTER-IN-LAW ON A FARM.. DURING THE HARVEST ON HER FUTURE FATHER-IN-LAW’S FARM THEY DECIDED TO GO AND WATCH ONE DAY, AND THAT’S WHERE SHE MET HER HUSBAND EDWIN BEINGESSNER. THEY WERE MARRIED ON THE FARM TWELVE MILES WEST OF CHAMPION IN 1926. THEY ATTENDED DANCES AT ALSTON HALL AND WORKED ON THEIR FARM UNTIL RETIRING IN 1961 AND MOVED INTO CHAMPION. HER HUSBAND PASSED AWAY IN 1993 AND SHE MOVED INTO THE SENIOR’S APARTMENTS IN CHAMPION, THEN TO LETHBRIDGE FOR A SHORT TIME. SHE MOVED INTO PETER DAWSON LODGE IN VULCAN WERE SHE HAS RESIDED SINCE 1994.
JO LOVED HER FRIENDS, SHE ENJOYED PLAYING CARDS, DANCING AND READING. SHE ESPECIALLY LOVED MUSIC AND IN HER EARLY YEARS, SHE PLAYED THE PIANO BY EAR IN A LOCAL ORCHESTIA FOR DANCES.
JO IS SURVIVED BY HER LOVING BROTHER NORMAN AND HIS WIFE EVELYN GROVER OF LETHBRIDGE, A SISTER-IN-LAW RUBY GROVER OF WESTLOCK, HER SPECIAL FRIEND ANNE MIDDLETON OF CHAMPION, NUMEROUS NIECES, NEPHEWS AND GRAND NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
JO WAS PREDECEASED BY HER HUSBAND EDWIN IN 1993, THREE BROTHERS OSCAR (THELMA), MARTIN AND EDWIN, A SISTER CLARA (WALT) AND HER PARENTS.
FUNERAL SERVICE MONDAY AT 1:30 P.M. SEPTEMBER 28, 1998 AT BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, VULCAN WITH REV. MICHAEL COLBECK OFFICIATING.
INTERMENT CHAMPION CEMETERY.
CASKET BEARERS WERE DENNIS GROVER, TERENCE GROVER, BILL GROVER, BARRY GROVER, CLARENCE BEINGESSNER AND PHIL FATH.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS TRIBUTES IN JO’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO THE PETER DAWSON LODGE MEMORIAL FUND BOX 760, VULCAN, TOL 2BO.
ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME. TELEPHONE 485-2633.