Elizabeth "Betty" Ann Beech

Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Beech passed away at her home on Sunday morning December 26, 2021, one day before her 81st birthday following a two-year journey with pancreatic cancer. Betty was born on December 27, 1940 to Henry and Margaret Lubke in Pipestone, MN. She grew up in Pipestone and had many great and mischievous adventures with her siblings and friends. She worked as a photographer and re-touched canvas portraits for Glenn Studios in high school. She first met her husband George at the Dance Hall in Hatfield, MN. After high school, she moved to Minneapolis where she worked at Lampert Lumber and experienced the exciting life of a young woman in the city. She married George in September 1961 and the young family lived in Bemidji, MN for 3 years where Betty supported George as he attended college, then they moved to Byron where they accepted a teaching position. Betty was active in her church, lending her beautiful soprano voice to the choir for over 50 years. She played softball, painted with friends, and cared lovingly for her husband and children. In 1977 they bought a small farm south of Byron where they raised dairy goats, cows, horses, stray dogs and cats while keeping the kids active in 4-H, school, and church activities. Betty worked for the US Postal Service as a rural delivery driver and then had the Byron town route for many years prior to retirement in 2002. Betty loved gardening, baking, and sewing new pajamas for all of her grandchildren each Christmas. She had many talents and her home is decorated with her beautiful oil and watercolor paintings. She was famously always available for her children and would stop whatever she was doing to visit when one of them showed up at the door. Her favorite color was yellow and her favorite Saturday friend was Ruth. Betty was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February of 2020, she received treatment and care at Mayo Clinic including Hospice care at home where her children cared tenderly for her as she had cared so lovingly for them. Betty is survived by her devoted husband, George; sister Connie Toner; sister-in-law Mary Kay Lubke; four beloved children; Stacy Sinner (Michael), Susie Paynter (Jim), George Beech (Christine) and Angela Vizenor (JP); grandchildren: Terry, Laura, Jestine, Elizabeth (Ellie), Nichole, Katherine, Caitlyn, Jaxon, Mason, Richard, Matthew and Christopher; 13 great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, and brothers Richard (Dick), Henry (Hank), and Bruce. Visitation will take place Wednesday, December 29, 2021 at 10:00am at Byron United Methodist Church (503 1st Ave NW, Byron, MN 55920). A memorial service will begin at 11:00am following the visitation at church with Rev. Beth Perez officiating. Memorials may be directed to the Byron United Methodist Church. Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Beech family; to share a special memory or condolence please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com