Beverly Jean Edge

Aug. 10, 2022

Beverly Jean (Langmaid) Edge, 87, of Newton, died on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at Valley View Village in Des Moines.  A private memorial service will be held by the family at a later date.  Following cremation, burial will be at the Wittemberg Cemetery north of Newton.

Bev, the daughter of Don W. and Pearl (Loupee) Langmaid, was born on February 27, 1935, in Newton, IA.  She attended Malaka #8 Country School through the 8th grade, graduated to 9th grade at Newton Jr. High and was a part of the first class to graduate from the new Newton Sr. High (at its present location) in May of 1953.  Just prior to graduation, Bev was engaged to Gerald Edge, also of Newton.  Gerald served in the Army from Dec. of 1953- February of 1956.  The couple were married February 26, just two weeks after his discharge.  The couple had three children: Dennis (1957), Diane (1958) and Doug (1960).

Bev grew up on a farm and continued farm life with her family during the early years.  While still in high school, she started working at the Jasper County Savings Bank.  After starting her family, she continued to work part time at the bank, McCall Law Office, Grout Real Estate and the Maytag Dairy Farm.  When her children were older, she worked full time at Mid-Iowa Savings and Loan and several local real estate offices.  Even after retirement, Bev worked a long series of part time jobs doing bookkeeping and retail work.  Her favorite pastime was taking care of her acreage and her large gardens at home.  She was a member of the Oak Ridge Grange, Wittemberg Church and volunteered for many years as a 4-H leader, at the Newton Arboretum and cooking community meals through local churches.  Bev was best known for her strong work ethic, her quick smile and her good food.  Visitors enjoyed her baking at Granny’s Diner in Baxter and her home was always busy on Halloween, marked by trick-or-treaters year after year, for one of her homemade sugar cookies.  She loved all sports and spent many years sitting through the numerous athletic events of her grandchildren.

Bev is survived by her children, Dennis (Pauline) Edge and Doug (Lori) Edge, all of Newton, and Diane (Edge) Fredrick of Ames; 8 grandchildren and their partners; 16 great grandchildren; brother, Bud, (Marilyn) Langmaid; and sister, Sandra Warden.  Whether or not they were family, she will always be remembered by all as “Grandma Bev”.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother-in-law, Rex Warden.