Mildred Hilda Beck age, 94, passed away at Azria Health Longview on Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022. She was born on Sept. 25, 1928, to Joseph and Sophia Codr McDaniel in Morse Bluff, Neb. When she was a child, her family moved from Nebraska to a small farm just north of the old Calhoun area. It was on this small farm that Millie would develop her strong work ethic and her wonderful cooking skills. Her fried chicken was absolutely the best!! While in her teens, she met a young gentleman who had recently been discharged from the Army Air Corp. His name was Charles Beck and he completely “stole her heart”. These two eloped to Hiawatha, Kan., where they married on Feb. 20, 1946. They returned to Missouri Valley and began their lives as a young married couple. Over the years, six children were born: Shirley Mae, David and wife Ruth, Robert and wife Pam, Dennis and wife Eileen, Larry and Stanley Jo.
Millie worked for several cafes in the local area, as both a cook and a waitress. She especially enjoyed Sunnyside Truck Stop as it was always busy with truckers and the local “coffee bunch”. She also worked at Wilkerson Manufacturing in Fort Calhoun for many years. Once the children were grown, Chuck and Millie, relocated to New Castle, Colo. There they enjoyed camping in the beautiful Rocky Mountains and Millie’s favorite hobby---fishing. Many weekends were spent with Millie eagerly waiting for the next fish while Chuck was content to simply, watch his bobber merrily float along. Millie owned a small café in New Castle called The Apple Crate. As with all small cafes, it became a gathering place for the local people.
Friendship, coffee, laughter and gossip enjoyed by all. She also served as a cook for the local school system for many years. If she wasn’t busy cooking, she could be found out in her yard. She had beautiful fruit trees especially her cherry trees. Once picked, those cherries were quickly made into delicious pies.
Chuck passed away on Feb. 23, 1992, just three days past their 46th wedding anniversary. Millie stayed in Colorado for the next twenty-nine years until her health began to fail. She then returned to Missouri Valley and began her stay at Longview Care Center.
Mildred is preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Sophia McDaniel; brothers, Joseph, Raymond, Francis and Albert McDaniel; children, Shirley, Stanley, Robert and Dennis Beck.
Survivors include her sister,; Geraldine Thurman of Navarre, Fla.; son, David Beck of rural Magnolia; daughter-in-law, Pam of Fremont, Neb.; son, Larry Beck of New Castle, Colo.; daughter-in-law, Eileen of Parnell, Mo.; grandchildren, Jolene, LaVon, Monica, Crystal, Charlie, Tonya, Robert, Emma, Sam; great-grandchildren, Skyler, Amber, Silas, Wyatt, Titus, Briah, Samuel, Cristian, Cesar, Camilo and Lorenzo who Millie affectionally called “my boy”. As per Millie’s wishes, cremation has taken place. Celebration of Life Service will be held in the spring, and then she will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband and son in Old Town Cemetery (Oak Grove Cemetery).
Arrangements made by Hennessey Funeral Home Missouri Valley. www.hennesseyonline.com
