Melvena Bier

With deep love and cherished memories, we announce the passing of Melvena (McLeish) Bier, who left this world on March 5, 2025 at Baptist Health & Rehab in Bismarck, ND. She lived a remarkable life of one hundred four years, devoted as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her faith in God was her foundation, guiding her kindness, resilience, and unwavering love for her family.

Melvena Delores Beahm was born on September 1, 1920, in a sod house south of Alamota, Kansas, to John and Elizabeth Beahm. When she was just a year old, her family moved across the yard into a Sears and Roebuck catalog home, where she spent her childhood and high school years. She graduated from Dighton High School in 1938.

In April 1939, she married Thurman McLeish in a double ceremony alongside Thurman’s sister. The following year, they moved to Los Angeles, where Thurman worked for Douglas Aircraft Company. Their first son, James, was born in April 1942, and Melvena embraced her role as a stay-at-home mother. A year later, they returned to Kansas to farm and ranch with Thurman’s father, and in August 1945, they welcomed their second son, Stephen. At the time, Melvena was in the hospital with Stephen when news broke that the atomic bomb had been dropped on Japan, marking the end of World War II.

During the war years, Melvena managed the household, cooking and caring for her family and the hired hands working on the McLeish farm. In 1950, Thurman and his father purchased a ranch in North Dakota, leading the family to travel back and forth between Kansas and North Dakota until they settled permanently in 1965.

Tragedy struck in July 1978 when Thurman passed away in a farm accident. Melvena remained on the ranch for ten years before marrying Howard Bier in 1988. Together, they embraced a life of adventure, traveling across the country while living between rural Hazelton, North Dakota, and wintering in Mesa, Arizona. In 2000, they sold their Arizona home and moved to a condo in Bismarck. As the years passed, they transitioned to Edgewood Village, later moving to Prairie Pointe and Baptist Health & Rehab, where Melvena joined Howard to be closer to him.

Melvena had a zest for life and a wide range of passions. She loved barrel racing, painting, birdwatching, traveling, playing bridge, crossword puzzles, and watching sports. Until her eyesight declined at age 96, she kept up with family on Facebook, cherishing every update. Her greatest joy came from time spent with loved ones. She took an active role in the lives of her grandchildren, always present and engaged, and captivated family and friends with her sharp memory and endless humorous stories.

Her love for popcorn and ice cream was well known, but her dislike of chocolate became a family joke—perhaps the only person any of us had ever met who truly did not enjoy it!

Above all, Melvena’s warmth, wisdom, and unwavering love left an indelible mark on those fortunate enough to know her. She lived by faith, drawing strength from her relationship with God. Though words cannot fully capture the depth of our loss, we find comfort in the beautiful memories she created.

Melvena is reunited in eternal life with her late husband, Thurman McLeish; son, Stephen McLeish; sisters, Helen Johnson, Edna Mumma, and Eleanor Weseman; and parents, John and Elizabeth Beahm.

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 36 years, Howard, who is now 105 years old; son, Jim (Yvonne) McLeish; daughter-in-law, Betty McLeish; step-children, Jerry Bier, Susan (Neal Pointer) Bier, and Dennis (Wendy) Bier; grandchildren, Stephanie (Mark Chanes) McLeish, Sarah (John) Funkhouser, Michael (Kimberly) McLeish, and Meriah (Michael) Harkavi; step-grandchildren, Claire Bier, Drew Bier, and Jack Bier; and great-grandchildren, James & Henry McLeish and Corbin & Mavis Harkavi.

The funeral service will be held on April 19 at 11:00 a.m. at Parkway Funeral Home in Bismarck, ND, with visitation available one hour prior. She will be laid to rest in the Braddock Community Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to support the Braddock Community Cemetery. Please send donations to 6030 4th Ave SE, Hazelton, ND 58544.