Rita Mae Beck was born on May 2, 1940, in Ida Grove, Iowa, to Fred and Amelia (DeConnick) Wellendorf. The family moved to Vail, Iowa, to help Mag Wellendorf on the farm. Rita and her brother, Dick, attended country school until high school. She started high school in Manning and then graduated from Ar-We-Va in 1958.
When Rita was in Manning, she became friends with Gerald Beck. They were married on October 12, 1958, at Zion Lutheran Church in Manning, Iowa. They lived on the farm south of Vail until moving into Manning in September of 1959, when Gerald took a job with the Utility Office. They were blessed with three sons, Dan, Dave, and Don.
Over the years, Rita worked serving school lunches, packing homes for Dick Weiss, sorting corn at Garst Seed Company, and helping in the Utility Office when needed. Rita and Gerald attended many dances at dance halls in Iowa and in Texas. Rita loved to travel with her family and spent many summers camping as the boys were growing up. Following retirement, Rita and Gerald began traveling to Texas. They were Winter Texans for 20 years and continued to camp in Iowa through the summer months, where they were able to include the grandchildren. She spent many hours crocheting blankets for babies and for graduates.
Rita moved to The Friendship Home in Audubon in January of 2025, where she enjoyed almost daily visits from Gerald and her pride and joy, Maggie. She passed away there on Friday, June 20, 2025, at the age of 85.
Rita was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Amelia Wellendorf, in-laws, Donald and Dorothy Beck, and brother Dick Wellendorf.
Those left to cherish her memory are her husband of 66 years, Gerald Beck of Manning, sons:Dan of Manning, Dave (Valerie) of Pharr, TX, and Don (Trisha) of Manning. Grandchildren: Brenna Hodne, Josh (Halissa) Beck, Jacob Beck, Joe Beck, Tiffani (Tanner) Bald, and Olivia Beck. Great-grandchildren: Sophia, Linkoln, Octavia, and Vera Hodne, and Adrianna Beck, with twins, as Rita predicted, Winston and Bristol Bald on the way. She is also survived by in-laws, Kaye Wellendorf of Wyoming, Stanley (Zoy) Beck of Indiana, Carol (Ron) Brus of Irwin and many other nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.
A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at the Manning Cemetery, with Pastor Robert Riggert officiating. After the graveside, a luncheon will be held at Deb’s Corner Café in Manning.
Memorials may be directed to the Beck Family at this time. They will be designated at a later date in Rita’s memory. They may be mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 201, Audubon, IA 50025.
Services are entrusted with the Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Audubon, IA.
