Beulah Chadwick

" Ovid-Elsie Girl Comes Home To Rest"

Beulah Marie (Hafelein) Rogers Chadwick age 102 died Monday, August 24, 2009 at her home at Higgins Lake, MI. Born the youngest of 7 children to Sarah Melinda (Yarger) and George Michael Hafelein, June 5, 1907 in Ovid Township, Clinton County, Michigan, in the first house west of Shepardsville road, on Centerline road, on the north side of the road. Sleepy Hollow State Park now occupies this area.
She attended the Jesse School until she was 8 years old, living at that time with her mother, and her grandmother, Sarah Melinda Yarger and her uncle John Yarger. She remembered her grandmother and uncle with happy memories. She also remembered there was a store on the side of the house next to the school, where she would run errands for her grandmother for a reward of a few sticks of candy. At age 8 they moved to Lansing where she went to school through the 11th grade, she then worked in several restaurants as a waitress, then was hired at the Wentworth-Kerns Hotel.

Beulah was very proud of her ancestry. Her grandparents came to Ovid Township in the 1850's and brought along their married children and their families. They settled in the vicinity of South Shepardsville Road and Parks road. The great-grandparents were John & Elizabeth Yarger. The son and daughter in law who were Beulah's grandparents were Samuel and Sarah Melinda Yarger. Other descendents of these pioneers are still in the possession of farms and home in the same general area in Ovid Township.

On Christmas day in 1930 she married Asa Rogers and they moved to Flint, where Asa managed an A&P Food store. They were blessed with 2 children a son Jack in 1934 and a daughter Janet in 1937. In 1945 they moved to Fenmore, where they purchased Asa's Country Store.
The village of Elsie became home when Beulah and Asa owned the Rogers Grocery and Meats until 1958 when they moved to Higgins Lake. Asa died in 1973 and in 1982 Beulah married Harold Chadwick. Harold died in 2001, preceding her in death are also a son Jack, brothers Hugh, Ivan, Carl & John Hafelein, sisters Dessie Alzner & Ethel Baker. .
Survivors include her daughter Janet Bokros, daughter in law Claretta Rogers, step son Dirk & Joanne Galehouse, grandsons, Dirk, Jason & Doug Rogers, cousin Jeanette Baese, nephews George Mallison & Dave Hafelein & niece Dessie Curtis and many great nephews & nieces, great-great nephews & nieces, great-great-great nephews & nieces, and even a great-great-great-great niece.

Beulah was a former member of the Order of Eastern Star, and had formed a Thursday Luncheon widow club at Higgins Lake. Beulah's mission in life had been as a caregiver, always thinking of the other person first. She loved her large extended family and arranged several reunions a year. She made every friend a part of her family. Her yard is a thing of beauty with the flowers, shrubs and trees telling their own story of the effort she put into their care.

Many, many visitors have taken cuttings of plants to bring beauty to their homes. Generations of families have enjoyed her intellect, her humor, her hospitality. Parents, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, she was in tune with them all. All were welcomed, always room for one more at Beulah's place. Even the ducks returned each year to raise their families in her yard and on her beach. Beulah's church family was an important part of her life, bringing comfort to her. We are all blessed by having her in our lives.
Funeral services will be on Friday, August 28, 2009 at 11:00 A. M. at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie chapel. Pastor Robert Russell with officiate. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Wednesday evening 6-8 p.m. and Thursday 2-8 P.M with family present 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. Burial will take place at Ford Cemetery. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie chapel. On line condolences may be sent to: smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com








Read Beulah (Rogers) Chadwick's Obituary and Guestbook on smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com.