Raydonna Beachy, 

79, of Anchorage, died July 3, 2009, at home with family by her side. Friends and 
acquaintances are welcome to attend a memorial service at 2 p.m. July 18 at Calvary 
Assembly of God Church, 3800 W. 80th Ave. Raydonna was born Dec. 7, 1929, to 
Ray and Ethel Neal in Fredonia, Kan. Her family moved from Kansas to Oregon in 
1937, settling in the Sheridan-McMinnville area. She graduated from Sheridan High 
School in 1947. She attended Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., where she 
received a bachelor's degree in 1951. She then went on to achieve a master's degree 
at Oregon State University in 1955. She married Melvin Beachy in 1954, and they lived 
in the Sheridan, Mitchell, and Newport, Ore., areas until relocating to Anchorage in 
1989. Raydonna began her teaching career in Sheridan, and later was a high school 
math and science teacher at Mitchell and Eddyville high schools. In 1972, she was 
named to the Outstanding Secondary Educators of America awards program for her 
professionalism and dedication to her work and her students. She was a lifelong 
educator, with a distinguished and very accomplished career. Raydonna was an active 
member of Assembly of God churches in Sheridan, Mitchell and Newport, Ore., as well 
as Anchorage. Most recently, she attended Calvary Assembly of God until health issues 
prevented her attending. Raydonna is survived by her husband of 54 years, Melvin 
Beachy of Anchorage; three children, Judy Veater, and her husband, Gary; Terry 
Beachy; and Charlene Francis, all of Anchorage; sister, Melba Beachy of Creston, B.C., 
Canada; and brother, Wilbur Neal of Lebanon, Ore. She is also survived by five 
grandchildren, Joshua Francis, Crystal Francis, Chad Francis, Bethany Veater and Miles 
Veater, all of Anchorage. Arrangements are with Anchorage Funeral Home and 
Crematory.

Published in adn.com from 7/9 to 7/10/2009