Barbara Ellen Beck

As her five daughters would recall, she loved her family and set a beautiful example of a Christian wife, mother, and grandmother.

Barbara was of Black Sea German descent, her great-great grandfather helped to settle the colony of Hoffnungstahl, Russia in the 1700’s. She was a member of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia. She is the daughter of Fred G. Wall and Mary Wall. She was born in McCook, Nebraska on Oct. 8, 1924. She was a graduate of Ogden High School in Ogden, Utah. She was a life-long homemaker. She married Harold J. Beck in 1947, and they had six children. She was a member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Portland for 46 years. At Calvary, she was very active. She is famous for her “feather-stitching” by hand on patchwork baby crib quilts. She sewed on those quilts for 37 years. She was a member of LWML, a Lutheran mission organization; Concordia University Guild; branch secretary for AAL, a devoted Sunday School and VBS teacher. She assisted other members of Calvary women in serving, helping with weddings and funerals, and visiting the shut-ins. Barbara loved Christian hymns, loved to read, was a beautiful seamstress, and made the best cinnamon rolls in the world. She and Harold traveled back to Nebraska to see relatives, they loved the Oregon Coast, and toured Europe in the 1980’s.

A memorial service will be held at 2PM, Tuesday, April 19, 2011 in Calvary Lutheran Church. Barbara is survived by her brother, Richard Wall of Elk Grove, CA; sister-in-law, Mrs. Don Berry, of Idaho Falls, ID; daughters, Annette Suchy (Gary), Beverly Norton (Stephen), Catherine Rasmussen (Michael), Debra Yoder (Clifford), and Elizabeth Markel (Daniel); son, Harold (Joe) Beck; ten grandchildren, Brent Norton (Melanie), Benjamin Rasmussen (Janel), Daniel Norton (Jenifer), Angela Marsh (Mike), Erica Kibbee (Keith), Aaron Suchy (Marie), Jeff Markel, Philip Markel, Jessica Markel, and Dawson Yoder; and eight great-grandchildren, Kaleb Norton, Melina Norton, Ethan Kibbee, Aubrey Marsh, Regan Rasmussen, Taya Suchy, Casen Rasmussen, and Veronica Marsh with a ninth great-grandchild due in November.

Arrangements are being handled by Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home.