A Life Defined by Love and Home
We gather today with heavy hearts, but also with deep gratitude, to celebrate the life of Beverly
Annette Wenger Pack—a devoted wife, a loving mother, a doting grandmother, and a truly kind
soul.
Beverly’s story began on a perfect day, Easter Sunday, April 5, 1953, in the small, tight-knit
Mennonite community of Hillsboro, Kansas. She grew up with the grounding influence of her
parents: her father, Norman Edson Wenger, a hard-working self-employed auto and farm
equipment mechanic, and her mother, Ruth Armida Warkentin Wenger, a dedicated
homemaker. That foundation of faith, hard work, and community stayed with her throughout her
life.
After graduating from Hillsboro High in 1971, Beverly took a step toward her future, moving to
Wichita to study cosmetology. But Beverly was always open to a change in life, and in the spring
of 1974, that change arrived in the form of a visit to her sister in Alabama. What was meant to
be a visit became the turning point of her life: She stayed.
In Alabama, she quickly found her place, first as the steady voice behind the switchboard and,
later, the post office manager at what is now Athens State University. More importantly, it was
there, in the fall of 1974, that she met her future husband, Hershel. Their relationship was one
of those beautiful, meandering journeys, eventually becoming “more on than off” and
culminating in their wedding on January 28, 1977.
Her greatest joy was building her home and her family. When her two sons, Luke Jefferson and
Joshua James, were born, Beverly embraced the role of stay-at-home mom, pouring her
energy into raising them. Years later, she returned to work in a role that perfectly suited her
nurturing spirit, joining the Limestone County Board of Education at Clements High School. It
speaks volumes about her warmth that the students affectionately called her “the break lady,”
a title that captured her ability to offer comfort and a kind face during their busy days.
Beverly retired after 20 years of service in 2014, but her retirement wasn’t a slowing down; it
was simply a shift to her most important job: taking exceptional care of Hershel and family. She
loved to cook and bake, and in these later years, her kitchen was a place of endless creativity,
always serving up new dishes for them to try, a simple, beautiful testament to her enduring love.
As we say goodbye, we remember those who welcomed her home: her ancestors who helped
build the wheat industry in Kansas, her father Norman, her mother Ruth, her brothers Gerald
and Cecil, and sadly, her daughter Robin. We also remember her numerous aunts, uncles, and
cousins who have passed before her.
Beverly is survived by her beloved husband, Hershel; her sons, Luke Jefferson, with his wife
Sara, and Joshua James; her cherished grandchildren, Petra Yarbrough, with her husband
Alex, and Jordan; and her sister, Jeannene Koslowsky, along with countless nieces,
nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, and cousins scattered across the country, all of whom
hold a piece of her memory.
Beverly Pack built a life not of grand public gestures, but of quiet, steadfast devotion to the
people and places she adopted. Her love of home and family was her greatest legacy. May her
memory be a blessing, and may we find comfort in knowing that her spirit of kindness will live on
through all of us.
The funeral service will be Thursday, November 13th, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., at Limestone Chapel Funeral Home, with Dan Anderson officiating. Visitation will be Thursday, from 12:00 to 1:45 p.m., at the funeral home. Pallbearers will be Phil Chadwel, Jeff Wenger, John David Crow, Mark Gibson, Steve Burroughs, and John Clark. Burial will be at Thatch-Mann Cemetery.
