Notes for Bessie E Shumway

Notes for Bessie E Shumway

Bessie E. Shumway Beck, the first child of Elijah Gill Shumway and Sarah Elizabeth Willis Shumway,
was born February 3, 1912 in Mesa. Bessie's mother was born in Taylor and her father in Shumway.
Bessie graduated from Mesa Union High School, followed by a year of study at ASU. Subsequently,
Bessie was trained in cosmetology which she practiced in Phoenix until she married Bill C.
H. Beck (deceased.). Bill brought one child, Louis, from a previous marriage. Louie retired as the
head pressman for the San Jose Mercury. Bessie and Bill had two sons, Ronald Lee and Bill Randall Beck,
both of Phoenix. Ron and his wife Kathie (a nurse with the Osborn School District) own Beck Security.
Randy and his wife Vera Oliveira are realtors wit h Executive Realtors. Bessie and Bill have 14
grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren. She is also survived by
her brother, E. Gene Shumway of Provo, Utah. Bessie's husband, Bill, was a registered pharmacist
who opened and managed a number of stores within the Walgreen chain. Later, he worked for other
chains, but also opened two stores of his own; one at 15th Ave & McDowell and the Melrose Pharmacy
at Melrose & 7th Ave. After their divorce in about 1965, Bessie worked for New York Life and later for
the Durango Juvenile Detention facility. She was Judge Tong's secretary and was well loved by all
who worked with her. Bessie was a die-hard baseball fan who followed the sport very closely. She
also loved to read and travel, but her passion was gardening. She had a spectacular green thumb. A
Graveside Service will take place 11:00 A.M. Saturday, September 9, 2006 at Holy Cross Cemetery
located at 10045 W. Thomas Road in Avondale.

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Steve Shumway - shumways@@petershumway.org