Carolyn Sue Beimer

Carolyn Sue Beimer was born at home in Logansport, Indiana on May 23, 1939 to Howard and Ella Horney. She was delivered by doctor Granny Stewart, who was paid two chickens for his services. Carolyn had a wonderful childhood in Logansport, spending time (some of it mischievous) with brother Jim, sister Beverly, cousins Sam and Sally and friends. Her aunts, uncles and grandparents also lived in Logansport and played a prominent role in her early life. Logansport was at the confluence of the Eel and Wabash Rivers and nature was abundant in the surrounding area with the rich Indiana soil. She often talked of picking wild berries and mushrooms and of the home gardens that would grow most anything. She had fond memories of her high school years from 1953 to 1957 due to great friendships and some of the best music ever made serving as the theme music for her life at the time. She was a proud Logansport Berry and lamented the loss of the old school when it was razed in 1975.

After graduation, Carolyn decided to attend Gale Institute in Minneapolis to become a flight attendant. As fate would have it, after graduation, she accepted a job with the Santa Fe Railroad in Chicago and moved to the big city, where she fell in love with her first husband, Robert Beimer. Bob was transferred to San Francisco in 1963 and Carolyn followed him there where they were married. In May of 1964, their first bonus arrived in the form of daughter Suzanne. After putting down money on a house in Redwood City, Bob was transferred once again, this time to Phoenix, Arizona, where Carolyn mostly resided for the next 57 years. The Kurtz family from Chicago was already living nearby and helped welcome Carolyn and Bob to the area. In 1966, their second bonus arrived when Jeff was born in March. Carolyn was content and happy as a homemaker for several years, taking an active role in raising Suzanne and Jeff and participating in their early school activities. Carolyn also developed new friendships in the neighborhood with Sharon Gardner, Nancy Cordrey, Ramona Thorson, Venie Krenig, Beverly Bilbrey and their families. A few years later, Ron Pohlmeyer, another friend from Chicago, was transferred to Phoenix and moved his family close to Carolyn and Bob, which enriched their lives in Phoenix even more.

When economic times were difficult in the early 1970’s, Carolyn once again joined the workforce to support her family, this time with the State of Arizona’s clerical pool. She worked in most state agencies at one time or another, performing day to day duties that helped the state function year after year. Suzanne and Jeff graduated high school in the 1980’s and later graduated from college. Carolyn often attributed their college graduations to Bob, but Carolyn’s influence and participation in their early education was a major factor in their academic success. Additionally, she imparted her strong work ethic to them when they worked summer jobs with the state.

Sadly, Bob passed away in 1985, but in 1987, Carolyn met her second husband Raymond Rody, which provided a third bonus in her life in Ray’s daughter Theresa, who was three years old at the time. Carolyn moved back to Indiana from 1989 to 1991 and then again from 1993 to 1994, the second time to care for her ailing mother. Upon returning to Phoenix, she went back to work for the state, first temporarily with ADEQ and then permanently with DES, where she made more enduring friendships. She worked for the DES Office of Appeals until retiring in 2013.

Carolyn received other bonuses in her life, with Jeff’s marriage to Lupe Rodriguez and Suzanne’s marriage to Randall Marks, which formed cherished relationships with their families. Away from work and in retirement, she spent time with her family taking trips to ASU away football games, Rarotonga, Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Hawaii and Hawley Lake, and returned to Indiana and Chicago on several occasions to visit family and friends. Carolyn also loved working on crossword puzzles, playing Hearts online, playing slots, following the Arizona Cardinals and discussing current events. She became a grandparent with the birth of Theresa’s daughter Aurora in 2011 and her son Lewis in 2014, which filled her with joy.

Carolyn loved to laugh, loved her family and friends and was loved by them, which was the last thing spoken to her on August 22, 2021, before she peacefully passed away. She loved and she was loved. She often told people to keep love in their hearts, which brings to mind an aspiration of the old Persian poet Omar Khayyam, quoted by famed defense attorney Clarence Darrow during closing arguments of one of his cases. Darrow said, “It appealed to me as the highest that I can vision. I wish it was in my heart, and I wish it was in the hearts of all:

So I be written in the Book of Love,

I do not care about that Book above.

Erase my name or write it as you will,

So I be written in the Book of Love.”

Carolyn is survived by her children Suzanne Beimer (Randall Marks), Jeff Beimer (Lupe), Theresa Heitchler, her loving brother James Horney (Rose), sister Beverly Miller, sister-in-law Beverly Helms, cousin Sally Smith and grandchildren Aurora Heitchler and Lewis Heitchler. A graveside service will be held on September 4, 2021 at 9:00 am, followed by brunch at West Resthaven Park Cemetery, 6450 W Northern Ave, Glendale, AZ 85301. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Arizona Animal Welfare League, Donate | Arizona Animal Welfare League (aawl.org) or the American Lung Association, Donate - American Lung Association.