General Information
Full Name: Therese Ann (Backes) Beckius
Date of Birth: September 27, 1927
Date of Death: March 17, 2014
Terry A. Beckius
Terry was born September 27, 1927 to parents Paul and Clothilda (Ahmann) Backes. She was the baby of the family and loved spending time with her older sisters. Terry grew up in Belle Plaine until moving to Jordan during her high school years. Terry was voted homecoming queen and was a proud graduate from Jordan High School.
It was as a young woman that Terry met the love of her life, Al Beckius. They were both attending a dance in Jordan when Al saw Terry from across the room and knew that she was the woman he was going to marry. After dating for about a year, Terry married Al wearing a wedding dress she borrowed from a friend. Terry’s closest friends, Rita Allmann, Liz Musil and Louise Hammerlindl, stood beside her as she and Al exchanged wedding vows on October 11, 1947 at St. John the Baptist Church in Jordan.
Al and Terry made their home in Jordan. They were blessed with seven beautiful children who were the light of Terry’s life. She cared for her family with a kind and loving spirit. While her kids were young she was a homemaker. Later she began working as a receptionist at Valley View where she was employed for 20 years.
Family and faith were the most important things in Terry’s life. She especially felt close to the Patron Saint Therese. Terry also loved reading, doing crossword puzzles and word finds, cutting coupons, singing and taking mother-daughter trips to the cabin with her girls. One of her biggest passions in life was gardening. She loved growing flower gardens that always had beautiful petunias and gladiolas.
Terry volunteered for the American Legion Auxiliary, the American Cancer Society and was a Girl-Scouts leader. It seemed that Terry was always giving to others.
Later in life, Terry moved into Mala Strana Health Care Center where she received excellent care the last seven years of her life. These seven years were not the only important “7” in Terry’s life. She was born in 1927, married in 1947, had 7 children, there are 7 letters in both her first and last names, and died at 11:47 on March 17, 2014. Terry will always be remembered as a fun-loving woman who loved her family with her whole heart.
Terry is deeply missed by her children, Jerome Beckius of Jordan, David (Pamela) Beckius of Jordan, Peter (Sheryl) Beckius of Jordan, Carol (Douglas) Schultz of Belle Plaine, Nancy (Donald) Hartman of Jordan, Mary (Kenneth) Pieper of Jordan, Paul (Julie)Beckius of Jordan; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; other loving relatives and friends.
Terry is preceded in death by her husband, Al Beckius; daughter-in-law, Pat Beckius; siblings, Alice Blaha, Geno Steckman, Victor “Bud” Backes, Bob Backes, Louise Hammerlindl and Rosemary Varey.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, March 24, 2014 at 11:00 AM with visitation from 9:00-11:00 AM at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Jordan. Father Thomas Joseph will preside.
Terry will be buried next to her husband Al at Calvary Cemetery.
Visitation
When: Monday, March 24, 2014, 9:00 – 11:00 am
Location: St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
Address: 313 E 2nd Street
Jordan, MN 55352
Service Information
When: Monday, March 24, 2014,11:00 am
Location: St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
Address: 313 E 2nd Street
Jordan, MN 55352
Interment
Calvary Cemetery
Jordan, MN
