Obituary of Evangeline May Beem

Evangeline May (Whiteman) Beem, 98, of Beach Park, IL, went peacefully home to be with her Lord on August 2, 2021. “Van” was born November 24, 1922 in Zion. She attended Zion Parochial School until Senior year of high school and was in the first graduating class of Zion-Benton High School in 1940. As a piano student she graduated from Zion Conservatory of Music in 1939 and continued piano and organ studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, graduating in 1944 with a Bachelor of Music Degree as a Piano Performance Major. She joined the Zion Conservatory of Music staff in 1944 and taught private piano lessons for 30 years. She also provided wedding/organ music at her home church Christian Catholic Church (now Christ Community Church) and other churches in the Lake County area. She served as organist at First Presbyterian Church, Waukegan, for 6 years with her husband as choir director. After marrying the love of her life Bernard Beem on September 21, 1945, she accompanied him on a 6 month tour with Frankie Carle’s Big Band to New York City and back. They then settled down in hometown Zion where they began their life long musical teamwork of piano/organ accompanist and vocalist/choir director for community gatherings, weddings, and other special events. She was a lifelong member of Christ Community Church, Alpha Xi Delta Sorority and Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity. She and Bernie enjoyed 64 years of marriage. Besides music, Van’s interests revolved around their family activities, cooking memorable meals and pie making, loving entertaining family and friends, knitting, needlework, and photo album organizing. She especially enjoyed spending time with all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whether it was to babysit or just to provide fun outings and play in their home, yard, and ravine on Wadsworth Road. Her enduring love for God and devotion to family will continue for generations to come. She is survived by 3 daughters, Victoria (Richard) Rymer of Zion, Christy (Loren) Buntrock of Salem, WI, and Julie (Brian) Lother of Beach Park: 10 grandchildren, Matthew (Rebecca) Rymer, Michael (Amy) Rymer, the late Mark (Michelle) Rymer, Holly (Timothy) Heeter, Heidi (William) Anderson, the late Heather Buntrock, Brett (Danielle) Buntrock, Chad (Nicole) Lother, Jon (Jennifer) Lother, Troy (Karie) Lother: 22 great-grandchildren, Madalyn, Rachel, Jillian, Avery, Lauren, Evan, Ellen, Lukas, Joy, Taryn, Peter, Katie, Finn, Llewelyn, Jovie, Rylan, Bryce, Zayne, Trezdon, Kayzie, Tayler, and Ty, and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by husband, Bernard Beem; parents, Paul and Dorothy Whiteman; sister, Annette Burkey; granddaughter, Heather Buntrock; and grandson, Mark Rymer. Celebration of Life Service will be held on Monday, August 9, 2021, at 11:00 at Christ Community Church, 2500 Dowie Memorial Drive, Zion, IL. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 9:30 until 11:00 a.m. at the church. Pastor Ken Langley will officiate the service. Memorial donations to either Christ Community Church Music Ministry or Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Alliance.