Beulah Eileene Patrie Long, 99, of rural Bowdon, passed away Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at Rejoice Eldercare in Mandan.
Beulah Patrie, daughter of James Eldon and Della (Flaugher) Patrie, was born August 20, 1915, on the Patrie family farmstead three miles east of Bowdon where she grew up. After graduating from Heaton High School she attended Valley City Teachers College and achieved a standard teaching certificate. She taught in several one room rural schools in the Heaton, Chaseley, Hurdsfield, and Bowdon areas. Beulah was united in marriage to Kenneth Rollie Long on April 30, 1938 at Leola, South Dakota. They moved to their farm south of Bowdon in 1940 and became partners in their farming operation. She continued teaching in one-room country schools until 1942.
Beulah was actively involved with teaching Sunday School and Bible School, Homemakers Club, an active member of Wells County Farmers Union organization and was an educator for the Farmers Union youth program. She supervised several students as they attained their high school education through North Dakota Independent Study. In 1961 she went back to full-time teaching at Hurdsfield Public School in the 5th and 6th grade classroom and in 1967 began teaching 1st and 2nd grade at Bowdon School. While continuing to teach she returned to college and earned her bachelor's degree in 1969. Beulah retired from full-time teaching after more than thirty years in the profession, but still tutored students in her home as she believed every child could learn.
Beulah was known as an excellent baker and made many wedding cakes and baked items for family and friend's events. She loved to commune with nature in the garden.
After Kenneth passed away in 2001, Beulah continued to live on the family farm. Beulah is survived by children: Mary Ellen (LeRoy) Dockter, Fargo, ND; Eileene (David) Swardstrom, Naperville, IL; Donald (Patti) Long, Heaton, ND and Alice (John) Westby, Velva, ND; grandchildren: John (Darla) Dockter, Fargo; Ken Dockter, Grand Forks, ND; Melanie (Scott) Nordhougen, Fargo, ND; Paul (Amy) Swardstrom, Beaverton, OR; Betsy (David) Baker, Grand Rapids, MI; William (Sarah) Swardstrom, Grayville, IL; Matthew Swardstrom, Naperville, IL; Josh (Susan) Nannenga, Harvey, ND; Faye (Shad) Kusler, Mandan, ND; Devin (Melanie) Long, Fessenden, ND; Travis (Brittany) Long, Heaton, ND; Joanna (Craig) Goeden, Bismarck, ND; and Philip (Molly Pitluck) Westby, Bismarck, ND; twenty-two great-grandchildren, one more to arrive in August, and cousins, nieces and nephews.
Beulah was preceded in death by brothers James William, Donald LeRoy, infant brother Doran and half-sister Zola Belle Patrie Patterson.
Her funeral will be held Monday, July 20, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at the Bowdon Lutheran Church in Bowdon with burial in the Wayside Cemetery of Bowdon. Visitation will be held Sunday from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the Nelson Funeral Home in Fessenden