Bethine Lavery

Bethine Bea Lavery, age 89 of McCook, NE passed away Monday, December 24, 2018 at Community Hospital in McCook.

Bethine Bea Blakeslee was born October 24, 1929 to Hartley Wright Blakeslee and Lela Irene (Hubbard) Blakeslee of Eddyville in Lexington, NE. She attended District #24 through the 3rd grade and then went to Eddyville School. She was valedictorian of the 1947 graduation class. She attended summer school in Kearney which enabled her to start teaching school at District #10, by Eddyville, at age 17.

She was a member of the Eddyville Evangelical Church in her youth.

Bethine and Murl Lavern Lavery were married March 26, 1949 by Rev. L. R. Davis in the Methodist Church in Lexington. They farmed north of Overton, then in 1962 west of Sumner and in 1976 north of Wauneta. They moved to McCook in 1990. She enjoyed reading, handwork and puzzles.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Murl, November 27, 2006; mother, September 23, 1953, her father on May 21, 1961; son, Blake Allen Lavery on June 11, 2018; a granddaughter, Ashley Marie Lavery on July 28, 1988; her sister, Lucene Lea Blakeslee Miller, June 6, 2000; brother-in-law, Gordon Miller, November 23, 2003; daughter-in-law, Dianne Ruth Imel Lavery on December 24, 2001.

She is survived by two daughters, Lana Lou Ator of Colorado Springs and Shirley Ann Johnson of McCook; one son, Lloyd Lee Lavery and friend Rose Lockhorn of McCook, daughter-in-law Pat Lavery of Columbus; nine grandchildren: Richard, Ryan, and Amanda Lavery, Wendy, Robert, Randy Ator, Misty Wilger and Stephanie Valcik and Karl and wife Gloria Johnson and eight great grandchildren; Chelsea, Dakota, Erica and Jaqueline Lavery, Vincent Baker, Katalyna Pena and Kennedy Wilger, Dominic Watts; two step-grandchildren, Greg and Rachel Major; many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.