Beulah "Bea" Wait

Beulah "Bea" Wait, 95, of Elba died Sunday, August 2, 2020 at Mayo Clinic Hospitals - St. Mary's Campus Rochester. Bea was born to Frank and Laura (Armitage) Papenfuss on February 17, 1925 in Twins Bluffs, where she was raised. Bea and Doyle "Duke" Wait met in La Crosse while she worked as a waitress, he at Heilman brewing. He was one of her restaurant customers. They were married October 25, 1946 in Watertown, SD. The couple made their home in Elba, where they raised their ten children. Bea was known for making popcorn balls for Halloween treats. She enjoyed quilting, canning fruits and vegetables and making her mouth-watering fudge at Christmas time. Bea had belonged to the Elba Homemakers and played cards at St. Charles Senior Citizen Center.
Survivors include her children, Duane (Anna Kulas) of Rollingstone; Doyle of Winona; James (Zenia) of Colorado Springs, CO; Milton of St. Charles; Joan (Roger) Peterson of Stewartville; Myron (LaDonna Krull) of Dodge Center; Susan (Dennis) Plein of Goodview and Gary of Elba, 26 grandchildren, 107 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren. Bea was preceded in death by her husband, Duke, two sons, Steve and Morris and five siblings, Iva, Caroline, Mary Ann, Dorothy and Ross, and two daughters-in-law, Bonnie and Stephanie.
Services to remember Bea will be 1 p.m. Friday, August 7, 2020 at Hoff Funeral and Cremation Service in St. Charles, with funeral celebrant Dianne Rislow presiding. Burial will take place at a later date in Hillside Cemetery in St. Charles. A visitation will be from 10 a.m. until time of services at the funeral home. A gathering of friends and family will follow services at the St. Charles City Park. In accordance with current restrictions, social distancing and facemasks are required.
Services will be broadcast via Facebook Live - https://www.facebook.com/HoffFuneralHome/. Please share a memory of Bea and view her video tribute, when it becomes available at www.hofffuneral.com