Obituary of Helen J. Beckemeier

Helen J. Beckemeier Funeral services for Helen Juanita Beckemeier of Winfield, MO will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at the First Baptist Church of Winfield. Rev. Mike Ryan, church pastor, will officiate with assistance from Rev. David Rubemeyer, pastor of the Elsberry First Baptist Church. Interment will be in Bethany Cemetery near Foley, MO. Serving as pallbearers will be Eric Heitman, Adam Heitman, Andrew Beckemeier, Eugene Casagrand, Bob Oesch and Joe Bacon. Mrs. Beckemeier, 81, passed away Saturday morning, January 1, 2011 at the Elsberry Health Care Center near Elsberry. Born April 3, 1929 in St. Louis, MO, she was the eighth child of Rev. Lott Elwood and Ora Minta Dudhope Joseph. She attended Berkley School in St. Louis until her father accepted a position as pastor of First Baptist Church of Winfield at which time they moved to Winfield. She was a 1947 graduate of Winfield High School. She met her future husband, Denzel William Beckemeier, at the Elsberry Picnic in June 1947, and they married on June 12, 1948 in Winfield. This union was blessed with four children: Redonda, Denny, Malcolm and Curtiss. When Denzel was forced to retire early, they opened an antique shop in Winfield. Accepting Christ at a young age, Helen was a member of the First Baptist Church of Winfield where she served in many positions: Sunday School teacher, organist, VBS teacher, YWA leader and WMU member. She was also a member of Lincoln County Hospital Auxiliary and served on the board of the Senior Citizen Housing in Winfield. She was preceded in death by her parents, Rev. Lott and Ora Minta Joseph; three brothers: Robert Elwood Joseph, Lott Thomas Joseph and Everard J. Joseph; four sisters: Dorothy Virginia Oesch, Rachel Jane Wilson, Marie Maxine Casagrand and Marjorie Orpha Lowry; and her beloved husband of 47 years, Denzel Beckemeier, who died December 11, 1995. Survivors include her daughter, Redonda Heitman and her husband, Jim, of Elsberry; three sons: Denny Beckemeier and his wife, Saundra of Olathe, KS, Malcolm Beckemeier and his wife, Peggy, of Eolia, MO, and Curt Beckemeier and his wife, Bobbie, of Old Monroe, MO; fourteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She also leaves several in-laws: Mary Freese of Winfield, DeWayne and Norma Beckemeier of Springfield, MO, and Mary Helen Beckemeier of Florissant, MO; several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Monday, January 3, 2011 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home near Winfield. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Winfield or to Community Loving Care Hospice in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 3838 East Highway 47, P.O. Box 253, Winfield, MO 63389. Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com.