Dolores “Dee” Beene, age 72 of Mt. Vernon, IL formerly of Metropolis, IL passed away at 11:05 am on Saturday, May 14, 2016 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon.
Funeral services will be held at 12 noon on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at the Aikins-Farmer Funeral Home in Metropolis. Carl Stewart will officiate. Burial will follow in the IOOF Cemetery.
Dee was born on October 20, 1943 in Wisconsin. She received her BS in Chemistry from the University of Houston, and a Masters in Science Education from Murray State University. She taught in the Massac Unit One School system from the late 1960’s to 1995, teaching Chemistry and Physics for most of that time. She taught at Rend Lake Jr. College from 1995 to 2006. Mrs. Beene was known as a witty teacher who was passionate in teaching students to be critical thinkers and preparing them for life after high school. She was also passionate about conservation, belonging to many organizations whose aim was to protect the environment including the Sierra Club and the National Wildlife Foundation. Dee was of the Methodist faith, attending the First Methodist Church in Metropolis until 1995. Dee was a wonderful wife and companion and an exemplary mother; she will be missed by all.
Dee is survived by her husband, Vance Beene of Mt. Vernon, IL; son, Carl Stewart and wife Dacia of Metropolis, IL; brother, Don Coulter of Houston, TX; granddaughters, Hailey Jacobs and husband Matt of Nashville, TN, Kennedy Powers of Lexington, KY, Gracie and Clara Stewart of Metropolis, IL; great grandchildren, Harper and Sawyer Jacobs of Nashville, TN; extended family, JoDee Doyle of Sutherland Springs, TX.
Dee was preceded in death by her mother, Gene Coulter of Houston, TX; daughter, Shelly Stewart of Metropolis, and her extended family John and Ina Mae Adams of Metropolis.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 from 10:30 am to 12 noon at the Aikins-Farmer Funeral Home in Metropolis, Illinois.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000 Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101-9908.
Online condolences may be left at www.aikinsfarmer-millerfh.com
