Ilene Marie Beck, age 85, a resident of Elk, WA, passed away on May 15, 2024 in Spokane, WA.  Ilene was born on January 10, 1939 at the family home in Hunters, WA the daughter of William Henry and Irene Edna (Ward) Engelhardt.

Ilene was raised on the family ranch near Hunters, WA.  She attended school in Hunters and graduated in 1957 as the class valedictorian. Only weeks after her graduation, she exchanged wedding vows with Herb Beck and they began a marriage of almost 67 years.  Ilene and Herb worked together raising livestock, milking cows, brood sows and grain on their farm near Daisy.  She also maintained the books for the ranch and their logging business.  In 1982, they gathered with their family in a moved to Enterprise, OR where they continued to ranch for 3 years.  Then Ilene and Herb relocated to Elk, WA.

Ilene took great pride in her home and family. She enjoyed the many hours she spent caring for her family, gardening, and tending to her beautiful flower gardens as they were very important to her. Inside and outside her home she had a large collection of cactuses that she cared for starting at the age of 3 years old. Ilene also collected vintage wooden-match boxes, figurines and oil lamps. She was a voracious reader and therefore had books upon books that she collected and shared. Ilene enjoyed the challenge of puzzles and crosswords which she completed by the hundreds. She enjoyed playing pinocle with family and friends and solitaire on the computer. Her family will reminisce about her cooking, canning and baking that drew them together around the dinner table.

Ilene was preceded in death by her infant son, Michael Beck and one sister, Ellen Rodenbough, and her parents, William Henry and Irnen Edna (Ward) Engelhardt.

She is survived by her husband, Herb Beck, at the home; 5 children, Dwain Beck (Rhonda) of Enterprise, OR, Dodie Beck (Dean Evans) of Wallowa, OR, Doug Beck (Jodi) of Enterprise, OR, Dan Beck (Elitha) of Enterprise, OR, Dana Beck of Joseph, OR; 11 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; 3 sisters, Rovena Brooks of Aberdeen, WA, Doris Egland (Harry Dell) of Newport, WA, Billie Melin (Eric) of Chehalis, WA; numerous nieces and nephews.

A family attended graveside service was held at the Cedonia Cemetery in Cedonia, WA.  Memorial contributions may be given to the charity of your choice.  Please visit the on-line memorial and sign the guestbook at www.danekasfuneralchapel.com.  Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory is entrusted with the arrangements.