BEECROFT, Esther 1904-1982

BEECROFT, MEYER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 7/7/2011 at 18:29:05

Heart Attack Claims Life Of Mrs. Beecroft

Funeral services for Mrs. Esther Beecroft were held on Monday, December 13 at 1:30 p.m. at the Second Christian Reformed Church. The officiating pastor was Rev. John H. Elenbaas.

A mixed quartet, Mrs. Harold Okones, Mrs. Ivan Slifer, Roger Nederhoff and Willis Nederhoff sang two selections. Flower attendants were Mrs. Lucille Claassen and Mrs. Gladys Ashby.

Pall bearers were Harold Okones, Darrell Breneman, W. Dale Murray, James VanDeest, Bernerd Harms and Kenneth Cordes. Interment was held in Shiloh Cemetery in Wellsburg.

Arrangements were in charge of Doyen Funeral Home.

Mrs. Esther (Meyer) Beecroft, 78, died suddenly of a heart attack on December 9 at the Adair County Memorial Hospital in Greenfield, Iowa. Her daughter was present at her side.

Esther was born December 5th, 1904, in Wellsburg, Iowa. She was baptized in the Wellsburg Reformed Church in 1905. She made Confession of Faith in the Holland Christian Reformed Church in 1919. She graduated from the Grundy Center High School in 1923 and received her college training at Iowa State College. She taught in the public schools of Holland, Austinville and Wellsburg until 1934 when on July 25th she was united in marriage to Clarence Beecroft.

The greater part of her married life was spent in Wellsburg. This union was blessed with two children; a son, James of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a daughter Joan of Greenfield.

Her husband passed away December 25th, 1961, as did a granddaughter, Dawn McCord in 1969. She was preceded in death also by her parents, Peter and Kate Meyer and four brothers, Donald, Roy, Arthur and Carl.

Esther resumed her teaching career in the Wellsburg Elementary School in 1962 and retired in 1972.

Esther was a talented musician. At the age of 16 she began playing the organ and continued to do so until her death. She also shared her lovely singing voice with many in times of both joy and sorrow. The number of people that have been comforted and inspired by her talents is indeed countless.

Esther became a member of the Second Christian Reformed Church in Wellsburg by letter of transfer in 1938. Her dedication and active participation in her church will be well remembered as a soloist, accompanist, choir member, organist and Willing Worker member.

She was an outlying correspondent for the Waterloo Courier for over 20 years. She was a respected and admired woman in her community. Her willingness to help a neighbor or friend when needed will not soon be forgotten.

Her later years were devoted to her children, enjoying her grandchildren, Clinton and Kelly McCord, and being with her many friends and neighbors.

She will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.

--The Grundy Register/Wellsburg Herald (Grundy Center, Iowa), 16 December 1982, section 2, pg 1