Anne Marshall Bean, 86, of Brookhaven, died August 20 at Taylor Hospice House in Ridley Park. Born in Chester, she was the daughter of the late James Marshall and Elizabeth Ruby Marshall. She was a graduate of Chester High School. Her beauty and sense of humor matched by a loving and giving heart which brought her many lifelong friendships and a large, devoted family.
During WWII, Mrs. Bean served as one of the first women draftsmen for Sun Ship, helping to design vessels for the Navy. After the war, she met and married an Army veteran, the late Benjamin “Bud” Bean, who went on to build a 40-year career at Allied Chemical, while his wife enjoyed her career as mother of three.
When her children were grown, Mrs. Bean started working again at Darnall’s Bridal Shop in Brookhaven. She loved to work in her garden and to create unique Christmas trees and wreathes which she sometimes sold at another shop in town, but she found greatest joy in giving and serving. She and her husband generously supported their church and many missionary endeavors. She was an active member and deaconess at Faith Community Church in Brookhaven, where she was a much-loved Bible study teacher. She also led neighborhood prayer groups and Bible studies for many years.
After Mr. Bean’s retirement, they traveled with friends to Hawaii, California, Florida, and Bermuda, and they thrilled to visit Omaha Beach for the 55th anniversary of D-Day, where Mr. Bean was honored for his service there in 1944. But a sudden illness in 1995 had left her husband paralyzed, and Mrs. Bean embraced the greatest challenge of her life in nursing him back to health over the next 6 years. Her persevering devotion was an inspiration to all who knew her.
Survivors: Sons, Dr. David Bean of Jensen Beach, FL and Rev. Craig Bean of Concord Twp., PA; daughter, Elizabeth Darnall of Nether Providence, PA; brother, James Marshall of Rehoboth, DE, and Hal Marshall of West Chester, PA; 15 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
Service: 11 a.m., Monday at Faith Community Church 3515 Edgmont Avenue, Brookhaven.
Visitation: 9:30-11:00 a.m. Monday at the church.
Burial: Mt. Hope Cemetery, Aston.
Contributions: In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Compassion Corps, PO Box 103, Chester Heights, PA, 19017, to help educate school children in war-torn Liberia: specify “Anne Bean Memorial Fund.”
www.batemanallenfuneralhome.com
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