Beverly A. (Mart) Westman

Beverly Arlene (Mart) Westman, 83, passed away peacefully on November 17, 2020 in Knoxville, Iowa.  She was born in Knoxville on January 7, 1937 to James and Effie (Robuck) Mart.  She was the third of four children and the first and only girl.  She adored her older brothers James and Marion as well as her younger brother Jerry.

After graduating from Knoxville High School in 1955 she met Merrian Keith Westman on the square in Knoxville and after their long courtship, they were married on January 20, 1959 in Knoxville.  They had one son, Randy Lynn Westman and since he was so perfect they stopped there.

Beverly, similar to today's millennials, chose to explore a variety of job opportunities.  Jobs included working as a carhop at the Root Beer Stand (A&W for those not sure what that means), as a movie usher at a Knoxville theater, at Brown's Shoe Store, at the Marion County Auditor's office and as an assistant to Dr. E.V. Feldman, D.D.S.  After Randy started school she returned to the workforce, working for the Chariton Schools for 30 years, with most of those years as the secretary at Williamson Elementary School, freely dispensing compassion and discipline as she saw fit.

Beverly was wonderful support to her family, Merrian on the farm and Randy for his activities in high school and college.  She loved to travel, just for the day or a family vacation to somewhere further away.  Other favorite activities included camping at the Iowa State Fair (for many years) and traveling to Las Vegas.  It was not uncommon for her and Merrian to make 2 or 3 trips a year to Las Vegas, staying at Circus Circus.  She also visited her grandkids as often as possible and when they moved back to Iowa together she and Merrian never missed any of their activities and took them on vacations and excursions. She also enjoyed Iowa Hawkeye games and was a regular watcher of Days of Our Lives. 

She is preceded in death by her husband of 56 years Merrian Westman, her parents Jim and Effie Mart, her brothers James Norman Mart and Marion J Mart.  She is survived by her son Randy and daughter-in-law Caryn Westman of rural Chariton, her grandchildren Riley Westman of Dillon, Colorado, and Kelsy Westman of Fairfield, Iowa, her brother Jerry and sister-in-law Judy Mart of rural Knoxville, and her sister-in-law Alberta Mart of Knoxville, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers memorials can be sent to the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation.

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