1922
Vida
2015
Vida Beck
April 8, 1922 — September 7, 2015
VIDA RUTH BECK
Vida Ruth Beck passed away September 7, 2015 at Brewster Place, in Topeka, KS, her home for the last 8 years, where she loved many good friends and the staff. She was engaged in many activities there, enjoying particularly the daily coffees, the Friday Socials, and the exercise class.
Vida Ruth was born in Haviland, KS and grew up on the farm of her parents, Herschel and Nell Jones, with her sisters, Inez Underhill and Ima June Helton, and their younger brother, Joe Jones (all now deceased).
She married her high school sweetheart, Merrill Beck, in 1940, and they lived in a number of places as Merrill moved between being an Air Force pilot and a manager with Bankers Investment finance company. They lived in Laredo, TX (where son, Larry, was born), Hutchinson, KS (where Terry was born), Midwest City, OK (where David was born), El Paso, TX (where Rascal was born), Asbury, MO (perhaps their favorite place), Wichita, KS (where all three boys graduated high school), and Lenexa, KS (for 32 years) before Merrill passed away in 2007 and Vida Ruth moved to Brewster Place. During the years they lived in Lenexa, Vida Ruth and Merrill had a cabin on the Lake of the Ozarks where they spent as much time as they could, entertaining many family and friends on their pontoon boat, ski boat, and fishing boat. Vida Ruth was an excellent cook and a self-less hostess.
During the Lenexa years, Vida Ruth worked as a bookkeeper in a finance company with Merrill and for the rock ‘n roll radio station ZZ99. But their greatest joy was travelling the world—to “Faraway Places.” They went to 68 countries and 17 islands in those years, often traveling space-available in U.S. Air Force cargo planes. They sometimes went to an Air Force base and took the first available flight out of country—not knowing in advance whether it would go to Tokyo or Thailand. In their later years, they enjoyed tours and cruises.
In the 1990s, with Merrill’s brother Warren and his wife Eve, they re-connected with the Beck family in Slovakia (a connection lost for over 100 years). They visited family in Slovakia and hosted Slovak relatives a number of times. Vida Ruth became especially close to Zana who now lives in Texas. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, September 26, 2015 from 11am-1pm at Brewster Place. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Brewster Foundation, 1205 SW 29th Str., Topeka, KS 66611. http://www.brewsterliving.org/Foundation/
Through the years, Vida Ruth kept close contact with her extended family and was highly admired and loved by her 3 sons, her 12 nieces and nephews, her 6 grandchildren, her 7 great-grandchildren, and her 1 great-great-grandchild.
Larry’s and Dee’s children are Derek Beck (of Austin, TX) and Amber Schumacher (of Houston, TX, with children Brooke and Luke). Terry’s and Jean’s children are Emily (of Spring Green, WI, with husband Jesse and daughter Edith), Geordie (of Flagstaff, AZ with wife Kim and son Ethan, daughter Madeline), and Tim (of John Day, OR). David’s and Lynnette’s daughter is Kim (of Derby, KS, with husband Jay and son Jacob and daughter Ashley, who, with Kelby, has a daughter, Aliah).
Her nieces and nephews include Barb Garton (TX), Gary Beck (CA), Doug Beck (CA); Susan Cornell (FL), Kathy McCloskey (KS), Billie Helton (KS), Pam Helton (TX); Janet Chisolm (NJ), Warren Underhill (CA); Rob Jones (TX), Kenny Jones (AZ), & Sherri Patterson (PA).
Besides family, Vida Ruth loved dogs, and in addition to Rascal was particularly fond of Gandolph, Emerson, Roxanne, and Dusty.
When she wasn’t busy with family and friends, Vida Ruth was an avid sports fan—following very closely KU basketball, the Chiefs, and, especially, the Kansas City Royals.
Vida Ruth Beck passed away September 7, 2015 at Brewster Place, in Topeka, KS, her home for the last 8 years, where she loved many good friends and the staff. She was engaged in many activities there, enjoying particularly the daily coffees, the Friday Socials, and the exercise class.
Vida Ruth was born in Haviland, KS and grew up on the farm of her parents, Herschel and Nell Jones, with her sisters, Inez Underhill and Ima June Helton, and their younger brother, Joe Jones (all now deceased).
She married her high school sweetheart, Merrill Beck, in 1940, and they lived in a number of places as Merrill moved between being an Air Force pilot and a manager with Bankers Investment finance company. They lived in Laredo, TX (where son, Larry, was born), Hutchinson, KS (where Terry was born), Midwest City, OK (where David was born), El Paso, TX (where Rascal was born), Asbury, MO (perhaps their favorite place), Wichita, KS (where all three boys graduated high school), and Lenexa, KS (for 32 years) before Merrill passed away in 2007 and Vida Ruth moved to Brewster Place. During the years they lived in Lenexa, Vida Ruth and Merrill had a cabin on the Lake of the Ozarks where they spent as much time as they could, entertaining many family and friends on their pontoon boat, ski boat, and fishing boat. Vida Ruth was an excellent cook and a self-less hostess.
During the Lenexa years, Vida Ruth worked as a bookkeeper in a finance company with Merrill and for the rock ‘n roll radio station ZZ99. But their greatest joy was travelling the world—to “Faraway Places.” They went to 68 countries and 17 islands in those years, often traveling space-available in U.S. Air Force cargo planes. They sometimes went to an Air Force base and took the first available flight out of country—not knowing in advance whether it would go to Tokyo or Thailand. In their later years, they enjoyed tours and cruises.
In the 1990s, with Merrill’s brother Warren and his wife Eve, they re-connected with the Beck family in Slovakia (a connection lost for over 100 years). They visited family in Slovakia and hosted Slovak relatives a number of times. Vida Ruth became especially close to Zana who now lives in Texas. A celebration of life will be held Saturday, September 26, 2015 from 11am-1pm at Brewster Place. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Brewster Foundation, 1205 SW 29th Str., Topeka, KS 66611. http://www.brewsterliving.org/Foundation/
Through the years, Vida Ruth kept close contact with her extended family and was highly admired and loved by her 3 sons, her 12 nieces and nephews, her 6 grandchildren, her 7 great-grandchildren, and her 1 great-great-grandchild.
Larry’s and Dee’s children are Derek Beck (of Austin, TX) and Amber Schumacher (of Houston, TX, with children Brooke and Luke). Terry’s and Jean’s children are Emily (of Spring Green, WI, with husband Jesse and daughter Edith), Geordie (of Flagstaff, AZ with wife Kim and son Ethan, daughter Madeline), and Tim (of John Day, OR). David’s and Lynnette’s daughter is Kim (of Derby, KS, with husband Jay and son Jacob and daughter Ashley, who, with Kelby, has a daughter, Aliah).
Her nieces and nephews include Barb Garton (TX), Gary Beck (CA), Doug Beck (CA); Susan Cornell (FL), Kathy McCloskey (KS), Billie Helton (KS), Pam Helton (TX); Janet Chisolm (NJ), Warren Underhill (CA); Rob Jones (TX), Kenny Jones (AZ), & Sherri Patterson (PA).
Besides family, Vida Ruth loved dogs, and in addition to Rascal was particularly fond of Gandolph, Emerson, Roxanne, and Dusty.
When she wasn’t busy with family and friends, Vida Ruth was an avid sports fan—following very closely KU basketball, the Chiefs, and, especially, the Kansas City Royals.
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