Charles Henry Beck 1912 - 2007

BECK, FISK, MOORE, BARNES, MILLER, KRAUT, COBERLEY , GOOCH, HELPHREY

Posted By: debbie (email)
Date: 6/26/2007 at 21:53:48

The Burlington Hawkeye, Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Charles Beck

Charles Henry Beck, 95, of Morning Sun, died Sunday afternoon, June 24, 2007, at Morning Sun Care Center.

The son of Henry and Laura Fisk Beck, he was born on June 11, 1912, in Yarmouth, Iowa. He married Freeda Leota Moore on April 7, 1939 in Yarmouth. She preceded him in death on March 17, 2006. They were married 66 years, living in their home for 65 years.

Charles graduated from Yarmouth High School in 1929 and attended Iowa Weslyan College. He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. He was a banker at the Iowa State Bank in Morning Sun from 1940 until he retired in 1980. He was on the Board of Directors of Louisa Communications since 1973 and only recently retired in 2006.

Charles was a community servant and devoted his life to the building of his favorite village, Morning Sun, Iowa. He was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church of Morning Sun since 1941. He was a charter member of the Morning Sun Lions Club in 1954, devoting 45 years to cashiering the 4th of July barbeque. He was on the 4th of July Committee for 51 years and the Louisa County Historical Society for 34 years. He served on the Morning Sun School Board for 25 years, holding the position of president for 15 years. He was active with the Boy Scouts, serving on the District Scouting Board. He also was active in the Oberman-Beck Reunion and Foundation. He was a member of the Morning Sun Community Betterment Group.

Charles loved to write and in 1995 published his book, Beckonings, a collection of short stories about life in and around Morning Sun. He was an amateur photographer, taking pictures whenever he could, including 130 local weddings and many other activities. He was an avid baseball fan for 80 years.

He is survived by one son, David and Sherry Beck of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin; one daughter, Kathie Beck Barnes and Stephen of Phoenix, Arizona; three granddaughters, Heather Miller, Heidi Kraut and Stephanie Barnes; and two sisters, Kathryn Coberley of New London and Anita Gooch of Phoenix, Arizona.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Freeda, one sister, Elvira Helphrey and one brother, Raymond Beck.

Friends may call on Saturday, June 30, 2007, at the Hagele and Honts Funeral Home in Morning Sun where the family will meet friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The funeral ceremony for Charles Beck will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 1, 2007, at the First United Presbyterian Church in Morning Sun officiated by Ramona Wink. Burial will follow in the Elmwood Cemetery in Morning Sun.

A Memorial Fund has been established for the benefit of the Morning Sun Community Center, c/o Robert Buckman, 207 N. Church St., Morning Sun, IA 52640.