Beverly Dee Edmondson of Perry

Beverly Dee Edmondson, 89, of Perry passed away peacefully on Friday, July 4, 2025, at the Taylor Hospice House in Des Moines, Iowa, surrounded by her loving family.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, July 8 at 11 a.m. at the Heartland Church of Christ in Perry, with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at the Valley View Cemetery in rural Perry, Iowa.

Beverly was born on March 13, 1936, at her family’s home northwest of Perry to James and Gladys (Varner) Kopesky. She was one of four daughters in the family.

Beverly attended a one-room schoolhouse in Alton through eighth grade and graduated from Perry High School in 1953.

On June 17, 1956, she married the love of her life, Darrell Edmondson, at the First Christian Church in Perry. Together they built a life in Perry and raised three sons: Jim, Jeff and Joe.

During her sons’ childhoods, Beverly was deeply involved in their activities, most notably through the Boy Scouts, where she served as a Den Mother and held leadership roles at the council level.

Beverly was a woman of deep faith and lifelong service. She was a longtime member of Washington Chapel Church of Christ until its closing, where she held numerous roles, including church committee member, Vacation Bible School director and Sunday School teacher.

She also volunteered as a PTA Director at Webster School and cherished her time with the weekly neighborhood coffee group that brought her much joy. In later years, she became a devoted member of Heartland Church of Christ in Perry.

Beverly had a strong work ethic and held a variety of jobs over the years, including positions at Bacon Jewelers, United Supermarket, Dunn’s Super Value, Sears catalog store and Lords Men’s Wear, where she eventually retired.

She also worked as a librarian and was employed by the Perry Daily Chief, now known as the Perry Chief, where she began as circulation manager, overseeing the paper carriers, and then transitioned into proofreading and typesetting roles.

Known for her skill and enthusiasm for couponing, refunds and rebates, Beverly shared her expertise by teaching money-saving courses at Des Moines Area Community College.

She had an adventurous spirit and a great love for travel, especially to Alaska, to visit her son Jeff. She and Darrell made the trip nine times, three of them by car. Their travels also took them to Colorado, Kentucky and many other destinations.

One of Beverly’s most cherished traditions was taking each of her four grandchildren on a special trip to Alaska to celebrate their high school graduations, creating unforgettable memories with each of them.

At home, Beverly found joy in caring for her yard, tending to her beautiful flowers and feeding the birds that visited.

She was a passionate reader who effortlessly completed lengthy novels, and even as her eyesight declined, she continued to enjoy books through audiobooks.

More than anything, Beverly’s greatest devotion was to her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom she loved deeply and unconditionally.

Beverly is survived by her loving husband of 69 years, Darrell Edmondson of Perry; her sons, Jim (Cindy) Edmondson of Johnston, Jeff (Renae) Edmondson of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Joseph Edmondson of Perry; her grandchildren, Jennifer (Adam) Cornley, and their children, Asher and Miles, all of Colorado; Spencer Edmondson of Colorado; Jessica (Terry)  Edmondson, and their children, Landon, Sabilla, Camilla and Isabella, all of Perry, and Brian (Nana) Edmondson of Japan; and many other beloved relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Gladys Kopesky; and her three sisters, Barbara Johnson, Bette Carpenter and Bonnie Lankenau.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Taylor Hospice House in Des Moines. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.caldwellparrish.com.