Beverly Drafahl, 94, of Montezuma, IA passed away February 6, 2023 at UnityPoint Grinnell Regional Medical Center due to complications of congestive heart failure.

Beverly was born April 18, 1928 to Arthur C. and Neva (Boyd) Goeke in Orion, Illinois. She was the third child of eight children. She had an older brother and sister, and five younger brothers.

Her family moved to Montezuma area when she was 11 years old and in the sixth grade. She attended the school in Guernsey where she met Jack Drafahl. She knew she would be married to Jack shortly after meeting him.

Bev dropped out of school shortly after starting the ninth grade to help her mother care for her younger brothers, in particular her brother David whom she considered her first child. Being a mother was the important goal in her life. She would continue to care for infants and children, be they her own children or grandchildren, for most of her life.

Beverly was united in marriage to Jack William Drafahl at the Montezuma United Methodist Church in February of 1945, when she was 16 years old. She delivered Jack Jr. within a year. She would go on to have four more sons. For decades her home was filled with children and pets. Even when the children moved on, she and Jack continued to have pets, especially cats.

Except for a couple of years when Beverly lived in the Iowa City region where Jack worked on a farm there, she would always live in Montezuma. She maintained close ties with her brothers and their families as well as Jack's family members. She saw her father on a daily basis until his death in 1967, and then missed him sorely every day of her life.

Beverly, with her husband Jack, maintained a huge garden of vegetables and flowers. This garden, in addition to being a showcase, provided the family with fresh fruits and vegetables. Bev continued pulling weeds until a few years before her death.

Beverly was an avid reader of the newspaper and periodicals so she was informed on current events. She enjoyed doing crossword puzzles of all sorts and cryptograms. She would later take classes at Marshalltown and complete her GED.

Beverly loved crocheting, especially afghans. She gave away most of her afghans as gifts for all occasions. She made each child and grandchild at least one, if not more, afghans.

After her children grew up, she worked at Montezuma Mini Mart, later to become Depot Express, for over 15 years. It was here that she came in contact with many members of the Montezuma community outside of her circle of relatives. When she was 65 years old, she retired.

She is survived by her sons, Jack (Sue) Drafahl of Tillamook, OR, Steven (Betsy) Drafahl of Montezuma, IA, Guy (Ellen) Drafahl of Beavercreek, OR, and Mark Drafahl of Frankfurt, KY; her brothers, Kenneth (Betty) Goeke of Florence, SC, Donald (Carol) Goeke of Rio Linda, CA, and David (Shirley) Goeke of Vinton, IA; 11 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

She is predeceased by her parents, Arthur and Neva Goeke; her husband, Jack Drafahl; three brothers—Arthur, Jr., Leonard, and Keith Goeke, and one sister, Ardella Fitzsimmons; her sister-in-law, Betty Goeke; and her son, Matthew Drafahl.