WAYNE BECK
Funeral Celebration of Life Services for Wayne Beck, age 92, of Lenox, who passed away Monday at Creston Specialty Care was held Friday, November 22 at 11:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Lenox. Visitation was Thursday, November 21 at the Ritchie Funeral Home in Lenox from 3 to 7 with the family greeting friends from 5 to 7. Lunch followed the services with interment to be held at the Clearfield Cemetery in Clearfield at 1:30 p.m. Memorials may be given in Wayne’s name. Memories may be shared with the family at www.ritchiefuneralhome.com under Obituaries. Arrangements were entrusted to the Ritchie Funeral Home of Lenox where we ‘Celebrate Life’.
Wayne Edward Beck was born on the family farm in Ringgold County, IA on May 6, 1927, to William Beck and Fannie Velma (Baker) Beck. He spent his younger years hunting and trapping on the farm. He graduated from Clearfield High School in 1946, then attended Iowa State University in Ames for one year. He then moved back to farm with his parents, because his father was in declining health. He met the love of his life, Grace Mary Callison, at Calvary Methodist Church where both of her parents were ministers. Wayne and Mary were married on August 22, 1948 and shared 64 beautiful years together before she was called home to heaven in 2012. Their marriage was blessed with four daughters, Trudy, Nancy, Peggy and Mary Lou.
In 1950, after his father died, Wayne and Mary moved permanently to the family farm where he continued to be a good steward of the land, like his father. The Beck Family Farm became a Century Farm in 2017. Wayne also worked for Totes Systems in Lenox as a machinist in the late 60’s and early 70’s. He was a member of the Methodist Church. Wayne and Mary had many enjoyable pastimes, including getting together with neighbors and friends, square dancing and country music jams. They both loved dancing but after Mary was “danced out”, Wayne was a sought-after partner to those ladies who had no companion. Another, almost daily routine was chatting with good friends over coffee in Lenox and Creston. In June, he always looked forward to catching up with his relatives at the Beck/Baker reunion. After he could no longer farm, he turned his attention to keeping his yard mowed to perfection, raising a small garden and tinkering around the farm. Wayne also amazed everyone with the shear number of ditties and poems he learned as a boy, even the Preamble to the Constitution. He also loved to hum and sing, entertaining everyone at the nursing home right up to the end.
Left to cherish Wayne’s memory are his four daughters, Trudy Weaver and husband, Terry, of Sharpsburg, IA; Nancy Pugh and husband, NL, of Cameron, MO; Peggy Althaus and husband, Tony, of Bellevue, IA; Mary Lou Cabeen and husband, Jim, of Mason City, IA; eleven grandchildren; twenty-seven great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters-in-law, Hank and Caroline Garner; George Callison; and Joan Callison; along with many other family members and friends.
Preceding Wayne in death are his parents, William and Fannie Beck; his loving wife, Grace Mary, in October of 2012; a sister, Wanda Duncan and husband, Paul; and a brother, Cecil Beck and wife, Fern; two brothers-in-law, Jack Callison and Don Callison; and a granddaughter, Jennifer Jodine Wolfe.
Dad’s proudest accomplishment was his family. He cared for Mom and all of us with deep love,
Christian values and just the right amount of humor. The warmth of his soul and sound of his laughter will be forever missed.