Beulah Swindle (Nov. 9, 1919 – April 12, 2021)
Beulah Swindle was born in Gainesville, Texas, on November 9, 1919, only two days before the Armistice ending World War I. She lived through the “roaring 20s”, the greatest depression the world has ever known, the greatest war the world has ever known, the Cold War, the Space Age, and on into the Information Age. In her youth, Beulah was a strikingly beautiful, petite, young woman, and as she aged her inner beauty began to outshine her outer beauty. Beulah surrendered her soul to Christ in Norman, Oklahoma, on April 12, 2021, at the age of 101 years, 5 months, and 3 days.
As did many children of that era, Beulah grew up in a poor family, but she had great wealth in her natural beauty and considerable talents. She was an accomplished artist and painted beautiful oils and watercolors, in addition to the numerous ceramics she created. John Bunyan, in his book, Pilgrims Progress, wrote of the “country of Beulah, whose air was very sweet and pleasant . . . Yea, here they heard continually the singing of birds and saw every day the flowers appear in the earth, and heard the voice of the turtle in the land.” Beulah painted beautiful landscapes, flowers, and birds. She created her own “country of Beulah” and her home was always sweet and pleasant.
Although she was a full-time homemaker, wife, and mother, Beulah still found time to polish her talents. She wrote poetry and short stories and played the piano. She had the proverbial “green thumb” and plants and flowers seemed to thrive in her presence. She was an accomplished seamstress, sewing beautiful dresses for herself and her daughter, and she took time to teach her granddaughters how to sew and crochet. Beulah recalled that when she went to school, she had only one dress to wear and the other kids teased her about her clothes. As a consequence of her early school experiences, Beulah endeavored to always keep herself and her family in nice clothing.
Beulah married James Jefferson “Jim” Swindle on October 26, 1936, and they made their home in Oklahoma City. After 68 years as partners in life, Jim was summoned home by the Lord, thus upon death did they part. Beulah was also predeceased by her son, James Donald Swindle, and by her grandson, James Donald Swindle, Jr., by all of her seven older siblings, and her parents, William and Mary Alice Salsman.
Beulah is survived by her son Jon Michael “Mike” Swindle, and his wife, Sherri Swindle, of Blanchard, Oklahoma, by her daughter, Anita Jean “Jeannie” Brockett, and her husband, B. J. Brockett, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, five grandchildren, a host of great and great-great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Beulah was a life-long member of the Church of Christ and a devout Christian. Though she has departed this world of mortal men, and we will see her face and hear her voice no more, we take great comfort in knowing that she now dwells in the peace, the beauty, and the loving glory of our Lord and Savior. And in parting, those who knew and loved Beulah can say without hesitation: Thank you Lord for the life, the love, and the caring of a beautiful woman.
A celebration of Beulah's life will be held from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM on Thursday, April 22, 2021, at John Ireland Funeral Home and Chapel, 120 South Broadway, Moore, OK.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Beulah Swindle, please visit our floral store.