I sit at my computer tonight remembering my mother-in-law,
Tillie Wengerd Beachy, who recently passed from this life into the glorious
peace and beauty of Heaven. She was one
hundred one years and nine months of age.
She was a staunch believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as her
personal savior, and a woman of honor with a strong sense of justice. She was one to speak her mind: you always
knew what she thought about any given subject.
No pretending or hiding the “real Tillie.”
When Dave and I got married in 1967, Tillie took some
getting used to. I remember when we were
dating, Tillie said, “We couldn’t think of anyone else better suited for a wife
for Dave.” I wasn’t quite sure how to
take that at first, but I chose to take it as a compliment instead of wondering
if she wished there were somebody better. J
Tillie was a very pragmatic lady. No frills or unnecessary “stuff.” Having learned this, I remember one Christmas
I decided I’d give her a practical gift and filled a bread basket with homemade
cookies. I was so hopeful she’d like it. When I handed her the gift, she remarked,
“Oh, thanks for the cookies, but I have no use for the bread basket: I already
have one.” I was confused and a bit
hurt, because in my family of origin, one never turned down a gift, even if it
was “of no use.” Tillie wasn’t too keen
on giving gifts wrapped in paper either, but preferred to hand the gift,
unwrapped, to the recipient. Like I said, she was a very practical, no-nonsense,
take-charge kind of woman. Not wrong,
just different.
She and her husband, Irvin, had a great big heart for
missions. In the downstairs hallway of
their Beachley Street
home in Meyersdale , PA
She and Irvin both loved to sing and worship the Lord, and
for a number of years, they opened their home to a group of “Hungry
Hearts” who desired the infilling and gifts of the Holy Spirit. People from different churches attended every
Saturday night, and Dave and I were privileged among them. Those were some special times of spiritual
growth and deep unity of fellowship.
Tillie was quite knowledgeable on a variety of subjects, and
their home sported a set of encyclopedias.
I remember one time at a Christmas gathering in the Beachley St. house, someone asked a
question, and I expressed surprise that she knew the answer. She looked at me, laughed, and said,
“Why? Did you think I was too stupid to
know the answer?” I was quite taken
aback she’d even think such a thing of me.
In my family of origin, my expression of surprise would have meant,
“Wow, I’m impressed you know that!” It
had been meant as a compliment. Her
personality wasn’t wrong—just different.
After Irvin died, Tillie moved to an apartment in Springs,
PA, near her eldest daughter, Phoebe. I
have good memories of visiting her frequently there. I can still see her in the kitchen as she
prepared a simple but delicious meal and sliced homemade bread while I set the
table. Sometimes we would talk about Scripture,
personal concerns, or the whereabouts of people she knew in the community. She
frequently told us she was so thankful for our good marriage. Over the years I’d come to understand and
appreciate her for who she was.
When she could no longer care for herself, she moved in with
her oldest daughter and husband. The
children devised a plan to take turns calling her every day. When her eyesight began to fail, Dave and
others made it a point to read Scripture to her with each phone call.
Copyright © 2014
Elaine Beachy
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