Beck, Ina Martha 1916-2011

BECK, JAMES, MCQUIGG, COLEMAN, WEISS

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 3/27/2017 at 14:39:49

Ina Martha Beck, 94, passed from this life on Monday, April 25th, 2011, at her home in Woodward. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 2nd, at the United Methodist Church in Woodward, with burial following at Woodward Cemetery.

Ina Martha was born on Thursday, November 16th, 1916 to Ernest and Alda Estena (James) McQuigg on a farm near Redding, Iowa. She was the youngest of three children. Farm life kept Ina and her sisters, Eunice and Reba very busy. They raised chickens, ducks and geese; gathered eggs, picked apples, peaches and pears; hoed the garden, mowed the yard and raked leaves.

She attended Redding Consolidated School until graduating from high school in 1933. She then attended Shenandoah School to acquire her teaching credentials. She taught grades 1 through 8 at Edgewood Washington Twp., south of Diagonal Iowa in Ringgold County.

On June 4th, 1937, Ina married Kenneth Hollister Beck of Redding, Iowa at her home near Redding. They lived near Collins, Iowa from June until November of that year. The couple then moved to Woodward, where they made their home. Kenneth started work as a telephone lineman, while Ina worked in the garden and setup housekeeping. Ina and Kenneth were blessed with two children, a son, Ralph Ernest, born on April 29th, 1939; and a daughter, Martha Elaine, born on August 16th, 1941.

Ina loved music and had sung many solos on various occasions, such as church services, school programs, and high school contests. She sang her first solo at the Redding Methodist Church when she was six years old. As she grew older she sang for weddings, funerals, and Veteran's Day and Memorial Day occasions. Ina sang in the Methodist Church Choir at Woodward from 1940 to 1980. She directed the Senior Choir for three years and the Junior Choir for many years. She was also a Sunday school teacher from 1945 through 1975.

Ina had always enjoyed helping and working with people. She was a member of the United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, The Priscilla Circle, The Get-Together Club, The Social Club and the Des Moines Twp. Club. She had volunteered as a driver for the Dallas County Home Care driving people to the doctor, dentist, and various appointments for the many years. She was a 4-H Leader for five years. For many years, she had volunteered her services when needed at the Woodward United Methodist Church. Ina was a Perry District United Methodist Women Officer and had served on the Nominations Committee for three years from 1982 through 1985. She also had served on the Membership Committee from 1985 through 1987. She was a former Republican Poll Watcher at all elections. Ina was a former member of the Woodward Centennial Committee and worked on the Woodward Centennial Book.

Besides her many volunteer activities, she had been actively employed for nearly 25 years. She was an Avon salesperson from August 1959 to March 1961. Ina started work as a Telephone Operator in August 1961 and worked until June 1966 when Woodward Mutual changed to a dial telephone company. She was required to learn every person's name, number and type of ring. Not an easy task! She was also a salesperson at the former Younkers Store at Merle Hay Mall, in Des Moines from May 1967 through January 1968.

Ina's love of reading led her to ultimately become a Librarian at the Woodward Public Library on January 8th, 1968. She worked there for 15 years, until her retirement in January 1983. When she retired, two librarians were hired to replace her.

Ina's recreational activities were golfing, swimming and gardening. She had always loved the outdoors; trees, birds, flowers, beautiful skies and lovely sunsets. Ina loved embroidery and embroidered many tea towels, pillow cases, and dresser scarves. She embroidered blocks of flowers for Grandma's Flower Garden Quilt. Ina had really liked to sew, making dresses, blouses, pajamas and suits not only for herself, but for others as well. Amid all the hustle, Ina still had found time to travel extensively. She and Kenneth had traveled to almost every state in this nation and many foreign countries.

Because they were so actively involved in their community, Kenneth and Ina were honored in 1987 as Grand Marshall in the Woodward Friends and Neighbors Parade.

Ina had always attributed her long, happy life to fresh air, sunshine, being blessed with loving parents, a loving family, and of course staying active in her home-life and community.

She is survived and lovingly remembered by her husband of nearly 74 years, Kenneth Beck of Woodward; son, Ralph E. Beck of Barnes City; daughter, Martha E. Coleman of Des Moines; six grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and 6 great-great-grandchildren.

Ina was preceded in death by her parents; and two sisters, Eunice Weiss and Reba McQuigg.

Visitation will be held from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 1st, at Iles Funeral Homes - Brandt Chapel in Woodward.

In lieu of flowers, the family has respectfully requested that any memorial contributions be made to the Woodward United Methodist Church, in Ina's name.

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ARRANGEMENTS BY ILES FUNERAL HOMES ~ BRANDT WOODWARD CHAPEL. ~ The Iles Funeral Home, Woodward, IA 25 Apr 2011.