September 11, 1932 - February 10, 2025
Beulah Maria Carrington of Topeka, Kan., departed this world on Feb. 10, 2025 at the age of 92.
Beulah graduated from the Kansas School for the Blind in 1950 and the University of Kansas in 1954. She then worked at the Topeka State Hospital for many years.
Michael Byington states, “I have known Beulah nearly all of my life. My parents were members of the Kansas Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and Beulah was a member and served as president for several years. I attended meetings with my parents and became involved in the organization when I was in my teens. Beulah was always willing to forgive my teenage exuberance, and to listen to my ideas. She graduated from the University of Kansas and was competitively employed for many years as a secretary and office administrator at various offices within Topeka State Hospital. Beulah was successful at a time when few people who were totally blind succeeded in getting college degrees or working competitively. She did all of this while also raising a family. She was one of my most admired mentors, and over the years, we became good friends.”
“Beulah was one the very first people I met when I moved to Topeka in 1986,” said Deborah Trapp. “I worked in the SW typing pool at Topeka State Hospital, and she was there with her dog, Val. We got to know each other and started to attend work things and lunches together and almost 40 years later, meeting for birthday suppers with other former TSH workers. She was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and I have missed her at our suppers.”
After retiring from the hospital, Beulah began volunteering with Friendly Visitors, which provides home visits, assistance reading mail and writing letters, daily medication reminder calls, transportation to medical appointments and more. Beulah volunteered for 22 years, retiring in August of 2019.
Kathy Thornton added, “Beulah will always be known as a woman who loved her family and friends, church, and guide dogs who gave her independence (except Nettie, who liked to chase squirrels, but Beulah loved her anyway and gave her every chance to succeed as her guide dog). I have much respect for Beulah, who never let her blindness hold her back. In fact, she embraced it by volunteering, joining organizations like the Lions Club, and even becoming President of the Topeka Association of the Blind. A memory of an elephant, I could always count on Beulah to keep me in line both at work and even personally. She also had a sense of direction that baffled me when she would start giving me directions as I got lost when we drove places (before phones and GPS). Beulah has been a great coworker and friend for nearly 40 years and will be greatly missed.”
Friends may leave memories of Beulah at https://www.echovita.com/us/obituaries/ks/topeka/beulah-maria-carrington-19337638.