Lee Adams Beckstead, 86, of Grace, passed away suddenly on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at the Caribou Memorial Hospital in Soda Springs, Idaho.
Lee was born on September 6, 1921 at Grace, Idaho the second of eight children born to Charles Francis and Rose Adams Beckstead. He was educated in the Grace schools and grew up on a family farm where he learned the value of hard work.
He married Elizabeth Margraf in 1943 and to this union came two children: William Michael and Rosemary Carr Beckstead. The family lived and worked in New York for several years. After thirty-four years the couple was divorced.
He was a very artistic person and loved wood carving, painting and could fix anything.
He served in the U.S. Navy and was at Pearl Harbor on the heavy cruiser U.S.S. Astoria when the Japanese attacked. He was honorably discharged in 1945. Some years after he married Bernice Blair who passed away about three years later.
Several years later in life he was introduced to Earlene Hamp who became a faithful and loving companion until her death in November 2007. He loved his children very much and also Earlene's children whom he called his children by proxy.
He is survived by his two children, William Michael Beckstead, Albuquerque, New Mexico and Rosemary (Harry) Reese of Harrison, Maine. He is also survived by five grandchildren; Dawn Michelle Rowell, Ashley Francis Beckstead, Michael Patrick Beckstead, Vanessa Elizabeth Reese, and Joanna Lee Reese, four great grandchildren; three sisters: Frankie (Jim) Frazier of Willard, Utah; Ila Mae (Carl Jr.) Rasmussen, Grace, Idaho and Jolene (Wayne) Newby of Pocatello, Idaho. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother Alden Beckstead and three sisters; Beryl Rasmussen, Lona Harris and Dorothy Bedegar.
Funeral services were conducted on Monday, March 17th at Noon at the Sims Funeral Home in Soda Springs. Burial was in the Grace Cemetery with Military Honors.