Alumni Obituary – Beverly Ann Spann

Wichita, Kansas – Beverly Ann (Chaney) Spann (CC ’57) was born to Albert “Al” Chaney (CC ’24) and Edris Morrison Chaney (CC ’23) in Wichita, KS on October 22, 1937. She went to be with the Lord on Friday, September 17, 2021.

Her early interests in life were her family, music, art, and forming friendships. She attended Central College in McPherson, KS, and finished her teaching degree at Greenville College in Illinois. Her heritage with Central runs back many years as her parents, Albert and Edris – both graduates of Central themselves – established the Chaney Music Symposium via memorial gift.

Beverly later received a master’s degree in Education from Emporia State University. Her career focused on teaching bookkeeping, typing, shorthand, and other secretarial skills. She taught business classes for high school students in Wichita, Kansas City, and Rochester, MN.

While teaching in Wichita, she met Richard Spann and they dated during the last year of his medical school training. They were married in Wichita on May 30, 1965. Their lifelong adventure lasted over 56 years. The first year of their marriage they lived in Kansas City for a year before moving to Rochester, MN.

In Rochester, Beverly and Richard had their first child Nicolle. A few months later they moved back to Wichita, KS. Three years after the move, they had their second daughter, Michelle.

Beverly became involved in Bible Study Fellowship in Wichita. She soon became the teaching leader for the women’s group and continued that for ten years.

Beverly’s first love was her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She came to know him at an early age and was passionate about spending time with Him daily. She was available to Him for His work in her life to minister to others. This was most clearly reflected in the support and investment she made in the life of her husband and her daughters. She loved and treasured them and poured forth her life in an effort to seek their material and spiritual good. She also poured her life into her grandchildren-eight in all-and was a loving and compassionate encourager to each of them.

Her love for others was evident when she and her husband, Richard, opened their home to many individuals for Bible Studies helping them to know more about God and training them to finish the work that God would have them do.

Her talents and skills were many. She loved music and played violin and piano, as well as singing for many years in the church choir. She was accomplished in arts and also enjoyed working with ceramic pottery and china painting. She had a love for architecture and actually designed the home that she lived in with her family for over 48 years. She also loved travel, gardening, and genealogy.

Much of her time was spent growing her relationship with the Lord. Her favorite bedside Bible is filled with well-worn pages and dates and personal notes next to the original text. Her favorite verses that she prayed over were marked at the side with names and dates. Two of these verses were ones she often shared with others. The first was I Corinthians 15:58. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

The verse that she prayed more than any other is found in Isaiah 61:3b “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.” Next to this verse were the handwritten names of each of her grandchildren.

Beverly is preceded in death by her parents, Al and Edris Chaney, her brother Robert Chaney, and her sister Dorothy Ruth (Chaney) Claassen. Beverly is survived by her husband Richard, her daughters, Nicolle (Tim) Buhler and Michelle (Andrew) Cornwell, and her grandchildren: Jordyn Buhler, Holly Buhler, Ian Cornwell, Elise Cornwell, Caleb Buhler, Mercy Cornwell, Nate Buhler, and Ben Buhler.

Although her family and friends miss her greatly, we take comfort in the fact that she is with her Lord. She has fought the good fight, she has finished the course. She has kept the faith. We know she is in a glorified body like her Lord Jesus hearing the words, “Well done good and faithful servant…come and share your Master’s happiness.”

ABOUT CENTRAL CHRISTIAN COLLEGE OF KANSAS

Central Christian College of Kansas is a regionally accredited institution offering undergraduate and graduate-level programs. Central strives to offer Christ-centered education for the whole person – heart, mind, soul, and strength. Its history dates back to 1884, and it is located in the friendly town of McPherson, Kansas. Central is a strategically small college that offers over forty areas of residential study and a thriving online program for non-traditional students. To learn more about Central go to centralchristian.edu/about. Visit the Foundation of Central Christian College to see what projects and events are coming up.