Beverly Maxine (Bair) Ohrt

Beverly Maxine Ohrt, 84, of Wellman, Iowa, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2025, at the Lone Tree Care Center in Lone Tree, Iowa.

Beverly was born on April 30, 1940, to Frank and Julia (Marker) Bair. She grew up in Cedar Bluff, Buchanan area, in a large, hardworking family.

Bev attended a one-room schoolhouse in Buchanan and completed junior high school. It was through her older brother and her soon-to-be husband's older sister that she met the love of her life, Gustave Richard Ohrt. Despite the initial plans for Bev to date one of the younger brothers, she fell for Richard, who was nine years her senior. Their love of dancing at Hi-Way Gardens and other social gatherings, along with spending time with family and friends, cemented their bond. They were married on January 30, 1955, in West Branch, Iowa.

Bev and Rich were hard workers, moving to where the best job opportunities were found, primarily staying within Cedar County. Bev was an exceptional cook and gardener, and her passion for food and gardening was evident in her work at various jobs that allowed her to cook, serve, and grow food. Later in life, Bev and Rich took up bowling and enjoyed participating in different leagues.

Bev enjoyed dancing, gardening, camping, fishing, playing cards, bird watching, doing puzzles, coloring, and attending many car races her son, son-in-law, and many other family members participated in. Above all else, being with her immediate and extended family, enjoying each and every one of them equally, brought her the most joy in life.

Together, Bev and Rich were blessed with three children: Maletta, Monte, and Marnetta. Despite their busy work lives, Bev always prioritized her children. The family eventually settled in Buchanan, where Bev's love for gardening, canning, cooking, and caring for others truly flourished. She grew every kind of vegetable and fruit imaginable and canned nearly everything she harvested. Her garden was a testament to her green thumb, with roses, irises, tulips, and peonies blooming every spring. Family gatherings were always filled with an abundance of food, as Bev made sure to prepare everyone's favorite dishes. Her specialty, bunny salad sandwiches, were loved by all who tried them.

Bev and Rich loved dancing together at Hi-Way Gardens and Prairieburg with her siblings, nieces, and nephews, and granddaughters. Family was always the most important aspect of Bev's life, and she made sure there was always room for everyone, even in their small home. Her love extended to her grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, creating cherished memories for all. Christmases were a time for gathering and celebrating together, a testament to Bev's belief that home is where loved ones come together.

Bev was completely selfless, always the first one up taking care of everyone else. Despite working a lot outside of the home, she was always there for her children, managing to take care of them, the home, the gardens, and the cooking. She did everything with joy, giving others what they needed or wanted first. Bev's children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren love her deeply and will miss her dearly.

Bev was preceded in death by her beloved husband, parents, siblings, and many extended family members. She is survived by her children, Maletta (Gary) Beuter of Tipton, IA, Monte (Melinda) Ohrt of Riverside, IA, and Marnetta (Todd) Seastrom of Wellman, IA. Eight grandchildren: Heather (Mike) Schnoebelen, Shannon (Tim) Krauss, Brianne (James) Magill, Christy (Craig) Anderson, Alan Ohrt, Kevin Rodgers, Andy (Morgan) Rodgers, and Peggy (Seth) Wynthein, and seventeen great grandchildren who will miss her dearly.

Services for Bev will be held on Thursday, March 13, 2025. Visitation will be from 9:00 to 10:30 AM at Fry Funeral Home, followed by her funeral service at 10:30 AM. A luncheon will be held at the First United Church of Christ following the services. After the luncheon, Bev will be laid to rest at Woodbridge Cemetery. A memorial has been established. Online condolences, fond memories, and photos of Bev may be shared at www.fryfuneralhome.com.