In Loving Memory

Willard Washington Beck

Willard Washington Beck, age 95, passed away peacefully on the morning of March 9, 2022 in Spokane, Washington.  A longtime resident of the Valley and Chewelah area, Willard was born on February 22, 1927 in Ruff, Washington to Gustaf and Carolina (Pfaff) Beck.

Early in Willard's life, his family would relocate to Valley, where his father began farming.  Willard joined the Navy at 17, seeing the last of World War II in Pearl Harbor.  Following his time in the military, he would meet the love of his life, Joan Osborne, at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, WA.  As soon as he saw her, he knew that he would marry her one day.

After they were wed, the two would soon welcome three daughters, Sandy, Cheryl and Jeni and in l986, Willard and Joan would relocate to Chewelah, where the two would become deeply involved with the community.  Willard would go on to help build the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and the community center.

Willard and his brother Leo farmed together for many years as Beck Brothers winning Conservation Farmer of the Year in 1963. Willard and Ralph Tipton spent over 20 years putting up drywall in many homes in Spokane Washington.

When Willard wasn't farming wheat, hay, barley and cattle, or working with the church he could usually be found on an adventure.  Whether he was boating into Canada and camping with his family, barefoot skiing at 65 mph behind a boat on Priest Lake; building a church in Russia, or looking for coyotes in a plane, only to find himself flying upside-down, Willard lived his life to the fullest, and never took a single day that he was blessed with for granted.  As Willard and Joan would reach retirement, they found more time to travel, snow birding in Yuma, AZ and Palm Desert, California.

Willard left Chewelah after selling his home and moved to Fairwood in Spokane, Washington.  He met Lavira Wickward and they enjoyed sharing each other's company and wed in May 2018.

Willard was preceded in death by his parents, Gustaf and Carolina Beck; as well as his brother and sisters and loving wife Joan Beck.  He is survived by his wife Lavira Beck, daughters Sandy Cramer, Cheryl Wagner, and Jeni Wagner, 5 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, as well as those he worshipped with at the Chewelah Seventh Day Adventist Church and the many lives he touched throughout Stevens County and across the world.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, March 30th, at the Chewelah Memorial Park Cemetery in Chewelah, Washington, beginning at 11:00 am.  Please visit the on-line memorial and sign the guestbook at www.danekasfuneralchapel.com