Bessie Catherine Reece was born to Elder John Michael Reece and Edith Turner Reece on October 4, 1914 near Fairview, Missouri where she lived with her family until June 1916. Her mother passed away when Bessie was quite young and her father then married Edith Brubaker who helped raise the Reece children. Bessie’s brothers included the late Richard Turner Reece (wife Edith) of Virginia and the late Melvin Henry Reece (wives Neva and Erlene) of Sawyer, Kansas. Sisters included Fannie Mae McGuire (husband the late Richard McGuire), of Redding, California, and the deceased Martha Gish (husband the late Arnold Gish) of Modesto, California.
As a young lady, Bessie married James Daniel Boone on June 14, 1933. They were blessed with five children including a stillborn daughter Patricia Louise, Roland James, Catherine Arlene, Linda Lee and Ross Leonard Boone.
Most of their vocational career was spent on the farm. Their thirty three year farming career started in Pratt, Ellis, and Rooks counties in Kansas and ended in Gove County Kansas near Quinter where they settled in the early 1940’s.
Bessie was a homemaker helping her James raise a family and advance his farming endeavors until 1964 when she began working in the office at Ideal Industries. She enjoyed her work there until she retired in 1977.
She and James traveled extensively, both foreign and domestic. They especially enjoyed visiting family and friends as well as spending their winters in South Texas in the McAllen/Mission area where they visited some 17 winter seasons.
James and Bessie always lived their entire lives with Christian principles. On October 13, 1965 they made a public confession of their faith and were baptized into the Old German Baptist Brethren Church whose values they embraced until their death.
Bessie was greatly saddened with the death of her husband James in 2007 after 73 years of marriage. She also mourned the passing of her stillborn daughter Patricia in 1934, a son-in-law Karl Denlinger in 1966, an infant grandson James David Filbrun in 1969, an infant great grandson Nicholas James Schmidt in 1991, and finally her beloved daughter Linda Lee Filbrun in October 2011. She has been looking forward to a glorious reunion with them in the Presence of the Lord, and that reunion has now become a reality.
Meanwhile, her earthly family continues to grow. Bessie is survived by 3 children, 13 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren and 7 great-great grand children along with their spouses, friends and loved ones. Her children include sons Roland (wife Opal), and Ross (wife Sharon) and her daughter Arlene (husband Alvan Eller). Linda’s husband Robert Filbrun and his wife Lori remain a part of the family. The 14 grand children include Marla Knaus (husband Mike), Dan Boone (wife Linda), and Don Boone (wife Sharon), Debbie Eller Smith, and Douglas Eller (wife Cathy), Shelly Crosier (husband Delk), Pam Jamison (husband Randall), Rick Filbrun (wife Angie), Paul Boone (wife Melissa), Corinna Schmidt (husband Steve), Tamara Dahl (husband Eric), Brendon Boone (wife Natalie), and Kim Mast. Her family resides in 11 states across our great nation.
On October 4, 2014, we celebrated her 100th birthday right here in Quinter. She loved having 71 of her 76 descendents in attendance from all over the nation. Their visit and the visitation of all the local friends and relatives provided her with memories and conversation for months. How blessed we are for those relationships.
Bessie was a humble lady whose desire included being a Proverbs 31 type wife, and listening to the accolades of her friends, it seems she did fairly well at that. However, her ultimate desire was to hear the blessed Savior greet her with His phrase from Mathew: “well done good and faithful servant”.
The family would like to thank the many friends and loved ones who have been so supportive of Bessie through her 101 years, especially through the latter years of her life. So many people have shown kindness by visiting her and offering kind words and gestures. The cousins, children and grandchildren have blessed her with their presence, but her friends, and the brethren and sisters of her church family have brought unspeakable joy by dropping by and spending a moment with her, breaking out in a season of song, and sharing the presence of their children who Bessie enjoyed rewarding with a little pack of Smarties. The staff of the Gove County Medical Center has gone the extra mile over the years working to make their facility a home for her. The Doctors, nurses and staff have been most kind. We pray these acts of kindness are repaid many times over to all of these kind people..
Thank you ever so much as this 101 year old life comes to a close and transitions to a new being as Bessie comes into the presence of her creator.
Sincerely and Humbly Submitted by the Family
Memorial contributions are suggested to Gove County Long Term Care. Donations made to the organization may be sent to the funeral home.
