Kathleen Ann Beale (Minish)
Kathleen, my mother, was born in Waterloo, Iowa.
Kathleen grew up on a farm South of Waterloo in rural Buckingham, Iowa. Kathleens grandparents, A.J. and Elva Minish owned and operated the Minish Farm which is now part of Hickory Hills Park. In Kathleen's youth she enjoyed participating in the Tama County Iowa 4H program for 9 years with other community youth. Kathleen participated in Church, 4H, and enjoyed showing Registered Hereford Cattle raised on the Minish family farm. The Minish family were renowned for raising top quality Registered Hereford Cattle and would exhibit the prized livestock at the Iowa State Fair, Aksarben (Omaha), Chicago International Livestock Show, and many County Fairs in Iowa. Kathleen served as the 1960 Iowa Hereford Queen.
Kathleen graduated from Dysart Geneseo High School and played on the Basketball team. After High School Graduation she attended Iowa State University and pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority.
After Graduation Kathleen started farming with her husband. Her husband passed away in the Fall of 1989 after suffering from a long illness.
In later years 1999 to 2006, Kathleen was employed by 1201 Financial & Insurance Services (located in downtown Sacramento) a wholly owned subsidiary of the California Dental Association which marketed insurance products to member California Dentists. Kathleen was the marketing representative for the Long Term Care Insurance division of CDA. Kathleen worked with 8 other regional insurance reps with The Dental Insurance Company servicing Dentists in California.
During this time, Kathleen also worked closely alongside her son, Clayton, as she began purchasing Iowa, Missouri, and California farmland from 1995 until 2021.. Kathleen purchased farms in Appanoose, Wayne, Madison, Polk, and Pocahontas County, Iowa, Yolo County, California, and Putnam County Missouri.
Kathleen will always be sorrily missed and remembered as an amazing and wonderful mother, chef and decorator who loved her family dearly and only wanted the very best for her children. Her children, Clayton, Meredith, Rodman, and her grandchildren Jack Evans and Brant Burnison.
During the Holidays the care and quality of Kathleen's holiday food preparation and decoration skills were simply beautiful (I can only assume she learned how to do this from her years of participating with other youth in the Tama County 4H program, the local Church, grandmother Elva Minish and her mother, Marion Minish-Beale).
Her son, Clayton Mitchell, has established an Annual Memorial Donation in Kathleen's name which is given to the Iowa Hereford Queen for the Iowa Hereford Queen Program. Clayton has also created a Memorial for his grandmother Marion Minish-Beale and her sister Wilma Jean Minish-Koep in recognition for their long term support and participation with the Hereford Association. Marion Minish-Beale was Kathleen's mother and Clayton's grandmother.
Kathleen’s life, in a printed book
We design every page from Kathleen’s 20 photos. Make it yours, then order a copy for everyone who loved Kathleen.
Kathleen and Clayton after Dinner at 801 Chophouse Des Moines
Looking for the Minish Memorial Bricks at the Iowa State Fairgrounds
Kathleen (Beale/Minish) Mitchell Buys and Iowa Farm
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
El Dorado Hills
Kathleen Ann Beale - Iles video
The world Kathleen knew
Family milestones in gold, history for context
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