Bessie Evalena Flaiz
Parents: Charles William Flaiz and Eugenia Belle Elder.
Siblings: Henrietta Flaiz.
Married: Francis Arthur Detamore.
Children: Stepmother to her sister's children: Ardice, Avis, and Fordyce William.
Died: 1938.
Other: Following is an article written by a friend of the family who knew her well.
Every Day As If It Were Her Last
by Del Delker
Bessie Flaiz-Detamore -- petite, intelligent, spunky, frank, loyal, kind, considerate, compassionate, genuine, motherly, pious. These are the adjectives that come to mind when I think of her.
How fortunate I was as a young girl and a new Christian to be assigned to work for her in the Voice of Prophecy Bible School. Those were the days when shorthand was in vogue, and I was one of the girls to whom "Mrs. D" dictated letters to our listeners and students -- letters dealing with Bible questions and spiritual problems. You wouldn't believe how many letters she could dictate in a day! She kept a corps of secretaries hopping.
What a privilege was mine to be one of the instruments through which all her marvelous counsel was conveyed! I found myself memorizing whole paragraphs of her letters and using them when witnessing for Christ to my hairdresser, a neighbor, or a seatmate on an airplane. Her words still appear in my thoughts and conversations.
It seemed to me that Bessie worked and lived every day as if it were her last here on earth! When someone wrote to ask about a certain course of action, she sometimes answered: "What would you do if you knew that next Tuesday at 3:00 P.M. the Lord would appear in the clouds of heaven? Would this seem important to you then?"
Bessie would occasionally write a person who was chafing because of adverse circumstances, "Remember, we are still in the concentration camp of the enemy. It shouldn't surprise us if we have hardships here while we are waiting for Jesus to return."
Every letter was filled with encouragement and the hope of the gospel. Her letters were practical, wise, and to my young heart thrilling. Sometimes it was difficult to keep back the tears as I was typing them.
Bessie moved fast. I don't remember seeing her walk slowly very often. That petite, trim little lady, always neat and attractive, had a special way of walking -- a regal carriage. She reminded me of a little queen, with her head held high. She had an elegance that commanded (not demanded) respect.
Although she expected a lot from "her girls", Bessie was a fun person to work for. She was well-read, which made her interesting. She knew her Bible and it's Author, which made her inspiring. She was sometimes stern, but always fair, loyal (she kept our confidences), forgiving, considerate, compassionate, and very appreciative of our work.
Though much older than we young things, she was the life of the party at our departmental socials and potlucks. She knew how to laugh and tease. She had a marvelous sense of humor. Bessie did not have robust health, but that didn't seem to slow her down.
When we were troubled and needed a sympathetic and understanding ear, she was available and trustworthy. Is it any wonder that any one of us would have laid down our lives for her, if necessary? We loved this godly, spunky, precious little lady named Bessie-Flaiz Detamore.