Eddie Beck, Jr.

Eddie Beck, Jr., of Peterson, Iowa, died Sunday, July 15, 2012, at Cherokee Regional Medical Center, Cherokee, Iowa, where he was born 70 years earlier. He was born March 27, 1942 to Marie (Sump) and Edwin (Nubs) Beck and grew up in the hills and fields of the Beck Ranch in rural Sutherland, Iowa, and in Cherokee, where he graduated from Wilson High School in 1960. Eddie married Janet Lindgren, divorced, and in 1970 married Mona Vae (Hokanson) Busby. They resided in rural Peterson, at Beck Ranch, Garden City, Kansas, and later in Peterson. Most recently he resided at Sutherland Care Center. He worked in agriculture from the time he was old enough to walk, for many years with his family at Beck Ranch, Inc., becoming president after his father's death in 1977. He also worked for several cattle feeders and for Feekes Farm Center before buying the hardware store in Peterson in 1991. He served one term on the Peterson city council and was a part-time city employee for many years. He loved animals, fishing, and nature. He took joy in seeing the first buds of spring, the ripening corn, and an Iowa summer sky. Over many years planted some 400 trees in Peterson, earning the town a Tree City USA designation. A great deal of the shade on the boulevards and in the parks of town are a result of work of Eddie and his crew. He and Mona fed birds year round, and many friends and family spent pleasant hours at the dining room windows drinking coffee and watching the bird show. In addition Eddie was a devoted husband, photographer of rainbows, expert cusser, avid angler, serene napper, companion to many dogs, wry storyteller, exuberant griller, excellent dancer, tireless mower of grass, and fixit guy for most of the town. He is survived by stepsons Drake Hokanson and wife Carol Kratz of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Drew Beck and wife Laurie and daughter Anjali of Madison, Wisconsin; sisters Betty Stewart and husband Wayne of Larrabee, Iowa, Bonnie Beck of Cherokee, and Donna Mummert and husband Jack of Plano, Texas; brother-in-law Barry Hokanson and wife Barbe of Grayslake, Illinois; sister-in-law Claudia Simon and partner George Sanderson of Webb, Iowa. He is also survived by nieces and nephews Elizabeth Prescher and husband Richard of Morristown, Minnesota; Ramona Pigott and Michael Pigott of Texas; Cathy Lenz and partner Brian Dyhrkopp of Milford, Iowa; Chris Ewald and husband Gary of La Porte City, Iowa; Carrie Calhoon and husband John of Spencer; Tukkar Hokanson and wife Anita White of Bellingham, Washington, plus many great nieces and nephews. Eddie Beck was preceded in death by his parents Edwin (Nubs) and Marie Beck, his wife Mona and nephew Tom Stewart.

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