Ethel Marie Beck

Ethel Marie Beck passed away peacefully on July 20, 2023, just four days shy of her 95th birthday. She was born July 24th, 1928, to Boyd Willhoite and Mamie (King) Willhoite in Gary, Indiana. Ethel was the oldest child and lost her mother when she was only 6 years old. She had to grow up quickly and help around the house until her father married her beloved step-mother, Opal (Pester) Willhoite. Ethel attended Lew Wallace High School and then held many different jobs: from working at a dime store and , a screw and bolt factory to being a telephone operator. At the age of 19, Ethel married the love of her life, Lloyd Lee Beck, on Easter Sunday, March 28th, 1948, and they shared 56 wonderful years together until his passing in 2005. Ethel and Lloyd lived in Crown Point, Indiana, where they raised three children: Larry, Bruce, and JoEllen. Ethel later went on to get her cosmetology certification in 1969, and worked several decades as a beautician. Ethel was a happy, friendly, welcoming person that was always ready to go anywhere or do anything. She loved traveling, going to the movies, playing games, watching TV game shows, music-listening to it, or singing, and going to church. She was a member of Southlake Christian Church for many years and was deeply rooted in her faith. Ethel was a devoted wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, and because of her fabulous sense of humor, a friend to all. Ethel is survived by her three children: LARRY (Valerie) Beck, BRUCE (Nancy) Beck, and JOELLEN (Fred) MacDonald; ten grandchildren: Kevin (Amy) Beck, Craig (Julie) Beck, BethAnn (Ken) Fabugais, Jeff (Tracy) Beck, Jessica (Doug) Fortner, Steven (Lacey) MacDonald, Dan (Katie) MacDonald, Amy MacDonald, and step-grandchildren Kyle Krol, Kassy (Heath) Patterson; twelve great-grandchildren: Sydney, Tessa, Jack, Emily, Colby, Abby, Mason, Freya, Liam, Lucas , Charlee, and Lincoln; her brothers: Bill Willhoite, and Jim (Judy) Willhoite; and numerous nieces and nephews. Ethel was preceded in death by her husband Lloyd, parents Boyd and Mamie, step-mother Opal, brother Joe Willhoite and daughter-in-law, Karen (Leathers) Beck. Visitation with the family will be on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 from 4:00 to 7:00pm at Burns Funeral Home & Crematory, 10101 Broadway, Crown Point, IN. Funeral services will be at Burns Funeral Home, Crown Point on Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at 10am followed by a graveside service at Calumet Park Cemetery, Merrillville, IN. Ethel’s family would like to thank VNA Hospice and Crown Point Christian Village for their tender care during her final years. Donations in her name (please include Ethel’s name in the memo section) may be sent to: VNA Hospice, 501 Marquette, Valparaiso, IN 46383. www.burnsfuneral.com

Ethel Marie Beck

July 24, 1928 - July 20, 2023