Beulah L. Joy

OBITUARY: Beulah Louise Gideon Joy
Beulah Louise Gideon Joy, 85, passed away in Topeka, Sunday, April 21, 2013. She was born August 4, 1927, in Topeka, to Lloyd Hanson and Nettie Blanche (Borgeson) Gideon. She was raised on a farm west of Topeka.
She attended Menoken School District # 30, a one-room grade school in the Menoken community. Beulah graduated from Seaman High School in 1945, where she was an honor student. She graduated from Washburn University in Topeka in 1949, with a Bachelor of Arts in commerce and economics. In 1967, she received a Bachelor of Business Administration, and was awarded a Bachelor of Education in 1970, all from Washburn University at Topeka. She had continued education in Business Law at Kansas University, and Washburn University, and Real Estate and Taxation at Kansas State University, and commercial law from American Institute of Banking. She was a graduate of Dale Carnegie Leadership, and later served as a graduate assistant.
During her childhood she did many farm chores, and worked with livestock and crops. During her high school years she drove every make and model of tractors for her father doing custom hay baling.
Beulah started working for Kaw Valley Bank in 1945, while attending high school and continued until 1952. While working for Kaw Valley Bank, she also did after hours typing for Lawyers, Conant Wait, and Tim Murrell. During the 1950's when the new Topeka Library was built, she was ask to do most of the correspondence for Mr. Glenn Swogger in their search for a new director.
She met her husband, Phillip B. Joy, while attending Washburn University and they were married August 17, 1952. He preceded her in death August 2, 1983.
They lived in Herington, Kansas, where Phillip was a math teacher, and Beulah worked for Beech Aircraft as a personnel officer until the Herington division was closed in 1953. She was employed at the Bank of Herington until 1962. They moved back to Topeka when her husband was hired as a math teacher in the 501 school district.
Beulah was head of the accounting department for Aristo Foods, Topeka that leased and operated restaurants in Holiday Inn Hotels in several states, until its closure in 1969. She taught accounting and business math for two years at Clarks Business School. In 1972, she became Assistant Director of the Kansas Real Estate Commission, a position she held for nine years. From 1982 to 1986, she was an accountant for Mize Houser accounting firm. In 1986, she accepted a position in the State Treasurer's office under then Treasurer Joan Finney, and retired in 1987, from the Department of Revenue.
She was a member of the Countryside United Methodist Church. A life-member of American Association of University Women, and served as treasurer and other offices. She was treasurer of a Topeka AAUW investment club, and had served as treasurer for the Shawnee County Organization for Responsible Government. She was a member of Artists Associated of Topeka. Beulah played the guitar, piano, and one of her prized possessions was her great-grandmother's 1892 Estey Pump Organ.
Beulah loved animals; working in her yard with all her flowers and vegetable garden; and canning and freezing many fruits and vegetables. She knitted and crocheted hundreds of pieces, and crocheted her entire table cloth for her wedding reception.
She is survived by her brother, L. Eldon Gideon, Topeka, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 1:30 PM, Wednesday, April 24, 2013, at Penwell-Gabel Parker-Price Chapel, 245 NW Independence Avenue, Topeka. Private interment in Prairie Home Cemetery, NW 35th and Menoken Road. Beulah will lie in state after 3:00 PM, Tuesday, at the funeral chapel.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Beulah Gideon Joy Foundation for Business Scholarships at Washburn University; Midland Hospice Care; or Helping Hands Humane Society.