Mom Beck's birthday!

I know I'm late in writing this, sorry so I'll try and do better. Mom celebrated her 76th birthday and she is still going strong, thanks to a good pace maker and a husband who continues to make her laugh and keep her young. Mom's greatest joy continues to be her family. She always wants to know what everyone is doing and how they are doing - physically, spiritually and emotionally. Staying connected with everyone is probably why she got on board with technology sooner than most at her age, even though at times it drives her crazy and frustrates her a lot, but she is persistent at it as she stays connected through email, skype, and even facebook!! I don't even have a facebook account. Most don't know the reason she does this but the real reason is to stay connected with her kids and grandkids and getting to see her great kids. Staying connected is so difficult to do, with everyone so spread out and well lets face it, they don't travel as much as they used any more for a variety of reasons, but mostly due to their commitment to serving in the temple. Serving in the temple is one of mom's greatest joys because as she serves she knows that Heavenly Father will then in turn bless and watch over her kids, grandkids and great grandkids. It is her way of keeping us safe and protected.

Throughout our childhood live mom was always close to the spirit. She always traveled with her scriptures and while she waited patiently for a kid to be done with school, practice, or church event to bring us home (no cell phones back then) well she sat quietly in the car reading the scriptures. Throughout her life she has come to know the scriptures and has helped many a person better understand them and what our Heavenly Father wants us to learn from them. Mom's understanding and love for them truly sparked my love for them and for others as well. Everyone knows mom's spirituality and faith is truly amazing. If you need a blessing from Heavenly Father then mom/grandma is the one to ask because of her closeness to Heavenly Father and her extraordinary faith and her sincere and humble prayers will be answered and then adding our names to temple prayer roll to provide more strength, thus the importance of the temple to her - to bless the ones she loves so much. So thanks mom for all you do for us and helps us to truly keep in prospective those things that matter most. Your example and life has truly blessed us.

Love Tony

Suzette's prom dress

I made all of Suzette's dresses for many years, including her first Prom dress and her Wedding dress.

We would go shopping (i.e. looking) at dresses, when she found something she liked, I would buy fabric, a pattern, then cut and sew. One I remember had a couple of flowers on one side of the skirt. I copied it by making the flowers out of ric-rac and embroidering the leaves and stem.

Her first prom dress was a beautiful blue background with a white design all over it. It was nearly done when she broke the date and accepted another boys invitation. I didn't approve, so I sat up that night, crying and ripping out the seams.

I repented the next day or so and sewed it back together again. My daughter, as usual, was beautiful in her prom dress.

G'pa and G'ma marriage

Mom and Dad were endowed and married in the Salt Lake Temple. They boarded the train in Idaho Falls which would have been about 12:00 A.M. They traveled all night to Salt Lake City. They arrived about 8:00 A.M. They were in a place they had never been before. 1st they had to find the courthouse and get a license to be married. Then they had to get to the temple for their endowments and marriage. I cannot even imagine the trauma of a strange place, all alone, no friends or family to direct and help you, to be at your side to hold your hand, only each other. If my memory is correct, two temple workers were assigned to be their escorts. We are so blessed to have temples that dot the land, closer to home. Dear friends to fill in when family are unavailable. Let us count our blessings.

birth of Suzette

Our first child and only girl, was born 10 days early. I had pains most of the night, but baby wasn't due yet, so I sent Francis off to work. He was driving back and forth from Shelley to Roberts, so G'ma D and I delivered this baby without a daddy. When Francis returned from work he stopped to gas up the car and was congratulated on his new baby. My proud father (i.e. grandfather) must have told everybody in Shelley. Nov.12, just happened to be a holiday. This is going thru my drugged mind so out loud I asked "Is this Labor Day". Well it was Veterans Day but my Dr. got the biggest laugh out of "my little joke". She was 6 1/2 lbs. Just right.

updated Francis and Deniece interview

Mom edited and added things to the interview.  This is better! 

The violinist in the family

THE violinist in the family: My Dad used to tell us the story of his Dad, taking a time-out in the middle of their work. As he entered the house, he would take his violin off the wall where it hung and play a tune. Then they would return to work. Dad said he never heard the music before nor since. G'pa said he kept hearing the music playing over and over in his head. He played by ear and the music was never written down, but he was able to go on with his work in peace.--by Deniece Beck

turkey's breakfast at the Beck restaurant

Turkeys Breakfast at the Beck Restaurant

As Dad (Ivan) and I worked the fields together, Dad on the tractor - me on the planter, he would stop the tractor and point to something he wanted me to see.

One vivid memory is watching a bird ( a killdeer) which appeared to have a broken wing, hopping about on the ground nearby. She was trying to draw us away

from her nest cradled on the ground nearby.

Like my Dad, I want my kids to take time out to enjoy the creations of nature, as my father did for me.

the pony

Dad sent me to round up the cows from a pasture just beyond the sand hills. No bridle, just a hack. ( A piece of rope, nothing in the mouth) The calves ran down the hills, and my pony followed. I slid from his bare back, down to his neck, my legs rapt firmly around his neck My head a perfect target each time the foot came forward. I soon lost consciousness and fell to the ground. My pony stepped on my upper arm as he left me behind. When the pony came home without me Dad was on his back and looking for me. I had regained consciousness and was trying to walk home. Dad tried to get me back on the pony but I refused, so my Dad carried me all the way home. I wonder how many times my Heavenly Father has carried me in His arms when life hurts?

Interview with Dad and Mom: May 2012

Interview with Francis and Deniece Beck (March 2012):
1.  What was your favorite dinner growing up?  Deniece:  potatoes, gravy, vegetables—we raised sheep, calves and learned to do or do without.  Francis:  We had no frig and no running water.  Favorite meal was break, milk, and chicken.  We milked 17 cows.
2. Tell us about when you went to school together?  Deniece was a junior and Francis was a senior and they met in seminary in Shelby.  We went to a seminary roller-skating party.  Francis first teased Deniece, then flirted.  Deniece would kick Francis in the shins because he teased her.  In P.E. class she walked in her gym class and showed about her posture.  Francis teased her about his and she’d kick him back.
3. Tell us about when you proposed?  Francis came home from BYU and parked by the old high school.  Deniece told her he was marrying another guy so he proposed to her.  Francis knew that her testimony was strong and he knew that he wanted someone strong in the church.  Francis couldn’t go on a mission because it was during the Korean war and only one person per ward could go on a mission.
4. What did you do for fun?  Deniece:  We had no phones.  She remembers when she was out in the field playing on her stick horse.  A guy came out and asked her out and she put her stick horse away and decided to grow up.  Francis:  He played a lot of baseball.  He had a horse growing up and helped with the chickens and sheep.  He swam in canals, ditches, and the snake river.
5. Tell us what you remember about Grandpa Otto and Grandma Elta Beck?  (by Francis) My mother was very short, 4’8”, well-endowed.  Her philosophy was to have dinner ready after church so she’d leave church to prepared it.  She served in the Relief Society and she served her whole life.  My father loved to eat bridge mix.  He had chocolate covered nuts a lot.  His brother joined the church and came to the United States.  His family was worried about what was going on in Germany at the time of Hitler so they followed and joined the church later.  Otto was in the boy’s choir and a great singer.  He was very laid back. 
6.  Tell us what you remember by Grandpa Ivan and Grandma Nora Davis:  (by Deniece) My father was a big animal person.  He could train and tame any animal.  Grandma was so sweet and a cuddler.  She always had cookies in her cookie jar.  Deniece worked the fields with her father (when he didn’t have his boys yet).  She helped plant the fields and the potatoes.  Later on in his life he got very active in the church.  Grandma was the one who took them to church.  She served as Relief Society president and Stake primary president.  She gave birth to Monte at age 42, so Deniece did a lot to raised Monte, so Monte and Deniece were always close.

Mud pies!

George Morgan Davis story.

George wasn't all that much older than me (Deniece). In fact, time diference with my brother Monte and I is the same as betwen me and George.

So Lynne and I loved to make mud pies. Ours were very special. We would go to the chicken coop and gather eggs to go in our mud pies. Mmmm. such good mud pies. So pretty and gooey. Then one day Mom and Dad were having this conversation about how the chickens just weren't laying eggs. What could be the matter? Our uncle George turned out to be a tattler. We were exposed. No More Mud Pies!

Francis Beck picture 1966

Francis Beck family: 1966

Pearl Allgood Hammon Shelton

Story of Pearl Allgood Hammon Shelton

I was born in Wilford, Idaho in the year 1893. Our home at that time was a two room log house on a farm my father homesteaded. I had two brothers older than myself, and four sisters and four brothers younger than me. I received all my education at the Wilford school. I quit school at the age of 17, just a while before graduating from the eighth grade, to marry Delbert Hammond, 2 March 1910. Delbert worked for the railroad in Pocatello, ID during the winter months. After Nora was born and his winter job ended, Delbert and I filed on a dry farm up in Ozone ID. He built a one-room house in his "spare" time after the days work was done.

In the fall we returned to Pocatello for his winter job. The following spring, he became very ill. He was checked out by a Dr. in Pocatello, and was told that he had a bad heart. We made the spring move back to the dry farm but he became very ill, and we moved down to St. Anthony, ID. He died 13 October, 1912 leaving me a 19 yr old widow. "It seemed at the time all I had to live for was my ( 22 month old) baby daughter, Nora. We went home to live with my parents."

After Christmas I went to work in St.Anthony at a seed factory. I renewed an acquaintance with an old friend Jim (Shelton) and married him two years later. We too went to Ozone and homesteaded some ground. I, Deniece, and my sister Lynne spent a couple of weeks one summer with them up at the dry farm. Eventually they settled down in Idaho Falls, had a beautiful home there. Nora has two sisters, (Elva & Dorothy) and one brother (Leslie). Their greatest sorrow was when their only son Leslie was killed in a car accident, fall of 1950. In a way it was a good thing. They, Gma & Gpa Shelton, hadn't been to the temple yet. NOW it was the top 'must do'. AND a big decision for Nora. Should she be sealed to her stepfather? Yes! 24th of January 1951

The sad part was that Dorothy couldn't go to the temple with them, therefore was not sealed. Years later, while Mother was staying with us, (Deniece & Francis) she was just kind of reminiscing and mentioned that it was a year since Dorothy had died. A bell rang in my head," Mom, you can do her work", and she did the next week (in the Winter Quarters temple).

PS: one of my favorite memories of G'pa Shelton was watching him play with our son Tony. They really bonded.

story about Brad today (written by Mom)

I just have to share something that happened today. It was our garbage pick-up day. Dad left before he came. I heard him go up, then back down the road, & saw him pick up the garbage. Soon after, Brad came out and went to the garage, then came back in & got a coat. (cold out there) I figured he was getting the garbage can in but he was gone quite awhile so I looked out the window and saw him picking up ours and bringing it in the garage, then he came in. I looked to see if Diana's was still at the curb. Two cans were sitting beside her house just as Dad would have done, except he was'nt home. Brad did it, (because his dad always does) he also took Tony's up to the garage. A. I am blessed that your dad is always such a good example for my children, B. I am so happy that his good example rubbed off on Brad, who has probably watched the process for many years. C. So blessed that Brad picked up his father's chore when his Dad was away. Bottom line, what wonderful children I have been blessed with. Love each of you and yours forever. Mom

Grandpa Beck's birthday!

Today is Dad's 77 birthday.  Hard to believe cause he doesn't act like it.  I kidded him today that he is well known throughout the stake in not acting like his age.  He makes some of us 50 year olds look bad.  I've told my boys that I'm pretty sure I didn't get the Beck gene of having the physical energy and ability like my Dad.

To this day he still out works me.  He spend his time cutting trees down, stack it and then haul it off for an Elderly Sister, or Widowed Sister you'll find him moving her couch, furniture etc when they need to move.  This is my Dad.  Throughout my whole life Dad has always led by example in extending service to others over the past 50 years so why should that ever change now.

There is one thing that I have noticed over the years and that my Dad is gets more emotional than when I was younger.  Can't explain why but I think it has something to do with serving in the temple all these years and what a great experience that has been for Mom and Dad.  They never got to go on that couple mission that so many are blessed to do because they never could leave Brad, but living in the mission field has given them that experience and opportunity to do missionary work or service every day.

Many individuals who retire spend the extra time on things they want to do, golf, fishing, traveling, etc., but for my Mom and Dad, well they spend it serving others.  What greater example does one need than that, - my Dad "walks the walk" they're just not words to him, he truly serves his fellow man.

So hopefully he is blessed with another twenty years of great health so he can continue to serve others.  Few words can adequately describe my Dad but the one that comes to mind is "Christlike"

Happy Birthday Dad, we love you.

Love your son Tony

Beck/Davis pictures!

Francis and Deniece Beck right outside the Winter Quarters Temple, their favorite place to be! (by the way, Happy 57th Anniversary Dad and Mom!!!)

From left to right:  Don R. Davis, William Vernon Davis, Ivan Reese Davis (Deniece's dad),
David Leroy Davis and George Morgan Davis (all brothers), to the far right is Ivan Davis' dad:  William Thomas Davis (Ivan also had 3 sisters:  Luella, Edna, and Beth)

This is a picture of Otto Frederick Beck Sr. (Francis' dad) on his mission in Boosenbrun Germany.  Otto is the person in the very center (bottom person).