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Obituary: Barbara J Beck

October 10, 1939 ~ March 20, 2023

Barbara J. Beck, 83 years of Sturgeon Bay, died late Monday, March 20, 2023 at Door County Medical Center.

She was born October 10, 1939 in Olney IL, the daughter of the late (Gould) Weber and Evelyn Jane (Greathouse) Murvin. Barbara graduated from Noble High School before entering Northwestern University, graduating from Dental Hygiene School.

On September 23, 1962 she married John Jay Beck in Olney, IL. Barb continued to work as a dental hygienist until the birth of her first of four children in 1964. She would devote her life to her family instilling in her children her love of adventure and food. Barb was a great driver and at a moment’s notice gathered the children and headed out for learning adventures and sights to see with a mission to expose them to the world outside Door County. She loved to read novels and was an accomplished and learned cook, deciphering recipes and cookbooks leaving many notes and observations throughout the margins, serving as a lasting tribute to her culinary interests and devotion to cooking for her family. Her collection of sewing machines, (19), were a complement to her sewing interests, creative talents and mechanical abilities as she was able to  fix those machines when needed.

Surviving family include her devoted husband, Dr. John Beck of Sturgeon Bay; four loving children, John (Elizabeth) Beck of Appleton, Dan (Rose) Beck of Algoma, Laura Beck of Madison, Martha Delancey of Green Bay; six precious grandchildren, John Howard Beck, Jeremy Badgley Beck, Oliver Caspian Delancey, Edmund Nikolas Delancey, Amy Sue Beck, Chad Roland Beck; brother, Roger Murvin of the Villages, FL; and sister, Margaret (Dan) Shimkos of Okemos, MI.

Preceding her in death were her parents; brother, Stephen Murvin; and sister-in-law, Mary Murvin.

A private family burial will be held at Bayside Cemetery. A celebration of her life and gathering will be held Thursday, April 6, 2023 from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. at The Lodge at Leathem Smith.

“Our mother was everything to us, from the daily fresh baked sour dough bread and sewing our clothes to giving us a solid foundation of family life and exposing us to the world we would live in.  The love she and our dad had for each other was powerful and was evident as she supported him and his devotion to the community he served. She was a great example for all who knew her and we will miss her deeply.”

Huehns Funeral Home, Inc. in Sturgeon Bay is assisting the Beck family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos of Barbara may be shared with her family through her tribute page at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.