Laurel G. “Gerry” Beck

Laurel G. “‘Gerry” Beck, Gerry aka: “Tootie” to her family, 89, was born February 26, 1923, in Cathay, N.D., to Hjalmer “Jonie” and Hulda Stokes. She passed away from her Grand Coulee, Washington home into the arms of her Lord Jesus the third weekend of January, 2013. Eleven-year-old Gerry moved with her family from North Dakota to Grand Coulee, Washington, in 1934 and graduated from Grand Coulee High School in 1940. A longtime member of Grand Coulee’s Zion Lutheran Church, Gerry wore several “professional hats” during her working career: owner-operator of Grand Coulee’s Coulee Heights Grocery, legal secretary for future Superior Court Judge Robert Hunter and assistant lab technician at Coulee Community Hospital, before retiring from the U.S. Postal Service in Grand Coulee. Always active in her community, Gerry volunteered at the Coulee Dam Visitor Center, belonged to the Grand Coulee Eagles Club, sewed clothes and crocheted beautiful items for herself and others, faithfully helped at the reception desk of the Grand Coulee Senior Center where she also known as a ‘passionate’ pinochle player and possibly her greatest love – bowling!!! accumulating many trophies and accomplishing more than one perfect 300 game.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband Alfred Beck on Mar. 24, 2000, her son Ronald “Ron” Ponder on Dec. 18, 2010, brother Harlan A. Stokes and brother-in-law Arthur J. Nicholson Jr.

Tootie is survived by her sister Jean Nicholson; step-children: Byron Beck (Leslie), Boyd Beck (Rory) and Phillip Beck (Mary); several grandchildren, numerous nephews and nieces and her many, many friends.

At Gerry’s request, cremation has taken place. A memorial celebration of her life will take place at Zion Lutheran Church in Grand Coulee at 11 a.m., on Saturday, February 23, 2013.

Gerry’s family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Gerry’s memory to support the Grand Coulee Senior Center at 203 Main Street, Grand Coulee, Wash. 99133.