INEZ VALARIE BECKSTRAND

Inez V. Beckstrand, 89 of rural Warwick, ND passed away, Christmas Day, December 25, 2010 at her home in the loving care of her family and Mercy Hospice. Funeral Services for Inez will be held on Friday, December 31, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at River of Life, Assembly of God Church, Devils Lake. Rev. Durward Garrett and Rev. Jeff Kapelle will officiate and burial will be in the Warwick Cemetery, rural Warwick in the spring. Music will be provided by Jeff Kapelle and Patty Cote. Friends may call at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Thursday from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Inez Valarie was born on May 16, 1921 at Maddock, ND the fifth child of Martin and Marie (Nelson) Milde. She graduated from Maddock High School with the class of 1939. She continued her education at Valley City State Teacher’s College where she received her teaching certificate. Inez then enrolled at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota where she majored in music. Inez always excelled academically and graduated with honors and at the top of her class at every level of education. Inez’s first teaching position was at a country school 4 miles south of Fort Totten where she taught 1 year. She then began teaching at Harlow, ND and while attending a basket social, she met the love of her life, John R. Beckstrand. They were united in marriage on December 26, 1942 at Grand Forks, ND. They established their home at Wood Lake, later moved to Warwick for a few years, then they purchased the farm, north of Warwick where they lived, worked side by side and raised their children through the years. While living in Warwick, Inez taught for several years at Warwick High School and retired as the high school principal. Inez had many talents and abilities and was always a hard working farm wife. She was an excellent seamstress and loved to grow as many beautiful flowers as she could fit in the yard. But her true love and passion was music and she cared for the music for approximately 3000 church services and also helped with the music at Warwick school. Inez was a member of the First Baptist Church in Devils Lake until it closed and was the church organist for many years and received an award for her dedication to the church from the South Baptist National Convention. She was also a Pioneer Daughter and had served as President and a member of the Warwick/Tolna/Hamar area Garden Club. Inez-always a devoted and loving wife, mother and grandmother. You will be so greatly missed. Inez is survived by her husband of 68 years, John R. Beckstrand, Warwick, ND; children, James R. Beckstrand and his wife, Cynthia also of Warwick, Wm. Jack Beckstrand of Santa Rosa, California and Julie Beckstrand also Warwick; six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, Justin Beckstrand, Warwick, Jon Beckstrand and his wife, Natalie and their children Carlos, Jullian and Daymian of Moose Lake, Minnesota, Sandra Beckstrand and her children, Logan and Calvin Schantz of Wahpeton, ND, Joanna Beckstrand of Devils Lake; Jeremy “Geronimo” White of Roseburg, Oregon, Elisha and her husband, Chance Miller and children, Shayn “Carrots” and Tildyn Miller of Riley, Oregon; sister, Irene Murphy of Cincinnati, Ohio and brother, Lane O. Milde of Orlando, Florida; several nieces, nephews and their families also survive. Inez was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Irma Olson and brothers, Earl Milde, Roy Milde and Vern Milde.