Beverly LeFebre

Beverly LeFebre, age 86, of Lodgepole, SD, passed away on Saturday, November 12, 2022 at the Western Horizons Care Center in Hettinger, ND.

Funeral services for Bev were held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 19, 2022 at the Holland Center Christian Reformed Church southwest of Lodgepole, SD, with Rev. Brad Burkhalter officiating.  Burial followed in the Holland Center Cemetery.

Visitation was held from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 18, 2022 at the Centennial Chapel of the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger, ND.

Beverly Darlene LeFebre went to be with the Lord Saturday, November 12, 2022, at Western Horizons Care Center in Hettinger, North Dakota.

Bev was born to Harry and Viola Doerr on September 21, 1936. The eighth of nine children, she grew up on the Doerr family farm near Lodgepole, South Dakota. There are several tales of the shenanigans the Doerr kids were involved in growing up. Standing proud at the height of 5’10”, she often joked that after having six boys, her mom didn’t know how to make a girl. After graduating from Hettinger High School in 1954, she attended Black Hills Teachers College and earned her teaching certificate. During her time in Spearfish, she was part of the Black Hills Passion Play cast. She taught full-time for several years, and would later substitute teach, serving the one-room country schools throughout the Lodgepole community’s Northwest School District.

On August 18, 1956, Bev married Gordon Dragoo. In 1960 their daughter, Lana Sue, was born. Three years later, to the day, they welcomed their son, Ronald Gordon.

Bev married James LeFebre on November 11, 1975. They spent their first anniversary in the hospital celebrating the birth of their daughter, Carol Ann. Their family was made complete with the arrival of Mark Alan in 1979.

Jim and Bev worked side by side on their farm south of Lodgepole. Bev could be found in the field mowing, raking, or hauling bales during haying season, running the combine or driving the truck during harvest, and feeding and caring for the animals year-round. She was always willing to lend Jim a hand or keep him company while working in his shop late into the evening and had a knack for locating parts or tools he lost or mislaid.

Bev tended bountiful gardens and beautiful, lush flower beds. She enjoyed crafting, sewing, and quilting - gifting all to family and friends. Bev wrote decades worth of journals recounting the simple happenings of each day – the weather, the work that had been accomplished, visitors who’d stopped by, and the random trips to town. She also wrote poetry to honor special occasions. Bev and Jim shared a love for music - from harmonizing with the radio when riding across the prairie, to singing together in church, music was ever-present in their lives. Perhaps Bev is best known for her talents in the kitchen. She could whip up an entire meal out of nothing when company stopped by, and she always had a stash of baked goodies at the ready when neighbors dropped in for coffee. Whether taking lunch out to Jim and the kids working in the field, delivering a freshly baked pie to a neighbor on their birthday, or getting up before dawn to fry up donuts for the entire volleyball bus, cooking for others brought her so much joy. It was a passion she passed on to several of her children and grandchildren.

Bev treasured the tranquility of working in her garden on a cool summer evening, or being on the tractor out in the field at daybreak, raking alfalfa when the conditions were “just right.” She wrote, “It seems, as the sun comes up, the birds and farm animals start scouting around for food and drink. The sounds of the birds in the trees can get pretty loud at times, but they are happy for a new day.” She savored the beauty of the sun rising and setting over their little farm in the valley, and the evidence of God’s delicate touch on the frost-covered trees of a winter morning. But the thing Bev delighted in most was family. And whenever her family was gathered, there was never a shortage laughter, good conversation and delicious food!

Bev leaves as her legacy faith in Christ, the value of hard work, the love of music, the gift of good cooking, making do with little, generosity, selflessness, and sacrifice, finding enjoyment in the simple things, and the love of family. Jim and his “Bevvy” were inseparable in life, and their love and devotion to one another was evident to all and true to the end.

Left to traverse this life without her are her loving husband, Jim; children Lana (Jamie) Ellenwood, Ron (Brenda) Dragoo, Carol (Mike) Stolley, and Mark (Dodie) LeFebre; grandchildren Erin (Adam) Fahrner, Jordan Frey, and Ryan (Brianna) Ellenwood, Christopher (Ginger) Dragoo, Stephen (Kerry) Dragoo, and Heather (Jeb) Boxrud, James and Kathryn Stolley, and Lily LeFebre; great-grandchildren Bella, Aubrey, and Emilia Fahrner, Layla and Madison Dragoo, Jason Dragoo, and Briggs, Hartley, Gordee and Fitzgerald Boxrud; a dear sister, June (Bill) Stevens and brother Ken (Vada) Doerr; and countless nieces and nephews.

Welcoming her to her eternal home are her parents Harry and Viola Doerr; siblings Margaret Johnson, Walter Doerr, Dale Doerr, Vaughn Doerr, Alan Doerr, and Gene Doerr; and a niece, Debra Doerr.

Condolences may be sent through our website at www.evansonjensenfuneralhome.com.