Shirley Swenson Beck was called home on April 29, 2021 at the age of 84.  At the time of her passing, she was at her home in Leland, Utah.

Shirley was born on October 16, 1936 to Rhea and Rulon Swenson.  She was the youngest daughter and had one sister, Lenore and two brothers, Cleve and Clyde. She grew up in Spanish Fork and attended Spanish Fork High School where she graduated.
She married Ronald Beck on April 12, 1955 in the Salt Lake temple and they were married for 65 years. Ronald and Shirley were longtime residents of Spanish Fork and they moved back to the Beck family farm in Leland in 1996.

Ronald and Shirley had four children, David (Gay), Stacey, Scott (Raquel), and Chad (Katherine). At the time of her passing, she has a posterity of 14 grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren.

Shirley worked for IHC in the emergency room registration for many years. She always provided a calming influence to those coming to the emergency room in their time of need. She made great friends there and loved talking to the nurses and other employees about their families and about their interests.

Mom loved to play bridge with her friends, get her hair done and hit all of the local grocery stores multiple times a week. She loved to be in the “know”. Our mother loved to shop!  She loved the Nordstrom sale and QVC and everything in between.  She loved a good brand and she loved a good deal and her family was often the recipients of her purchases.

Shirley and Ronald enjoyed going on trips with the Good Sam’s Club to various parts of the country and wintering in Yuma with friends. She enjoyed working in her yard and was very particular about her flowers and fertilizing. One of mom’s passions was collecting figurines, especially Lladro. She also enjoyed her grandchildren and great grandchildren, attending many ballgames and recitals. Shirley had a deep love for family and heritage, one of her favorite things was for us to recount stories of adventures with Rulon and Rhea. She knew the names and histories of all of the characters that made up her ancestry.

She loved and admired her siblings and all of her in-laws and fondly reminisced about them and about their children. Shirley’s greatest love and passion was her family and posterity. She thoughtfully planned holiday dinners and celebrations, organized egg hunts and trips to the pumpkin patch in order to keep the extended family connected. She was a caring, concerned and loving matriarch of her family.

Mother and Dad have been together for many years and we are all grateful that her suffering has ended and that she is at peace and with Dad again.

There will be a graveside service at the Spanish Fork Cemetery on Tuesday, May 4th at 11 o’clock in the morning.

We would like to extend sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Raquel, Shirley’s daughter-in-law.  She was unwavering in her care and concern for Shirley.

We would also like to express our deepest appreciation and admiration to Maple Creek Hospice for their dedicated care and service to our family.  They provided inspired counsel and loving service at a time it was needed most.