Irene E. Bevelhymer Pace
Irene E. Bevelhymer Pace passed away peacefully at home, under Hospice care with her loving son, Charles E. Jr., and daughter, Hattie Lee at her side on April 24, 2012, after along illness. She was born on Oct. 19, 1916, in Swancreek, Ohio to Wendel and Emma Bevelhymer. After graduating from high school, she attended business college in Kalamazoo, Mich., and upon graduation, was employed by the U.S. War Department as a stenotype court reporter, both in Detroit and Washington, D.C. In 1945, she joined the American Red Cross and served in the China-Burma-India Theatre and the Philippines. In 1947, while in Los Angeles, she secured a position in the security department of ARAMCO in Saudi Arabia.
She was predeceased by her husband, Charles E. Pace, whom she married on April 20, 1950, in Saudi Arabia. Both of their children were born in the Middle East, Charles in Saudi Arabia and Hattie in Beirut, Lebanon. She came to St. Augustine from Flemington, N.J., with her family in 1972 after her husband passed away. After settling into her new home in St. Augustine Shores, she became active in the COA, St. Augustine Shores Civic Association, AARP and as the Red Cross youth coordinator in St. Johns County. She belonged to Trinity Episcopal Church.
She was a member of the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution for nearly 50 years and served the local Maria Jefferson Chapter as Chapter Regent for two terms. For the past 25 years she was the DAR Veteran"s Service Chairman. In that position she collected, organized, packed and delivered goodie bags to military veterans living in local nursing homes, most recently in November 2011. The family requests that a donation be made to Haven Hospice in lieu of flowers. Memorial services will be 10 a.m. Thursday, May 10, 2012, at Trinity Episcopal Church. Funeral arrangements will be handled by Craig Funeral Home.