RUTH MARTHA (Hendrickson) BEASLEY
Marriages
John Paul "Sharkey" Beasley - September 7, 1930
in Leadville, Colorado
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 9 - September 28, 2000
RUTH BEASLEY'S LIFE CELEBRATED AT MONDAY SERVICE, by Gail Cameron-Britt.
One of the Eagle Valley's renowned citizens is gone but will be remembered with love by her family and friends.
Ruth BEASLEY, who passed away Friday, Sept. 22 was a woman of devotion to her work, her hobbies, and above all else, to her extended family who shares a name that has become a household word in Eagle and Gypsum.
On Sunday, the day before her funeral, Ruth BEASLEY's family gathered at the Gypsum home of her daughter, Margaret COLLETT, to share fond memories of the woman who had meant so much in their lives.
Granddaughter Janet OYLER also offered a book of recollections that her grandmother had written to share with family members and friends.
Born in Gypsum on July 20, 1912 to Alfred and Lena Marie HENDRICKSON, Ruth Martha BEASLEY lived in the Gypsum area all of her 88 years.
In her memoirs, she described her childhood years with her parents and her sister (Esther Hendrickson STANLEY), as warm, happy and nurturing.
"One of my earliest childhood memories is of Dad holding Esther and I on his lap in the evenings and reading from the Bible. Mamma would read her Norwegian paper."
Just after the turn of the 20th century in Gypsum, the sisters attended a one-room schoolhouse where all eight grades were held with one teacher. Spelling and reading would become Ruth BEASLEY's favorite subjects. As it turned out, she was quite good at her studies, and made her first trip to Denver to compete in a spelling contest when she was in seventh grade.
As an Eagle County High School student, her academic skills continued to flourish. In another recollection from her memoirs, she stated, "In high school, I was on the debating team and won our debates. At our high school graduation, I was the valedictorian."
Esther Stanley, BEASLEY's only sister, just turned 90 years old this summer. In the past month, she had a chance to reminisce with her sister about their scholastic skills a teenagers.
"I think Ruth was always smarter than me. I told her that she never had to study much in those days. But she told me that maybe she forgot what she learned faster than I did. We both laughed about that," said STANLEY.
Aside from studies, chores were expected of the sisters, too. Their father was a farmer, and Ruth was expected to iron, gather eggs and carry wood to the house.
In her own words from the memoirs, "It was too hard to go any place. On cold and snowy days, I would sit behind the coal heating stove and cut paper dolls out of the Sears catalog."
During her high school years, Ruth HENDRICKSON would meet her husband-to-be, John "Sharkey" BEASLEY at a dance at the Odd Fellows Hall in Gypsum (now the site of the First Lutheran Church Parish Hall). She remembered her intended as "a good dancer with pretty, curly hair." They were married on Sept. 7, 1930 in Leadville. She was 18 and he was 27.
At the time the newlyweds couldn't afford a honeymoon. They lived in a three-room house in Gypsum with no electricity of running water. Yet, their coal stove kept them comfortable.
She remembered her marriage as fondly as her childhood.
"We were happy and enjoyed doing things together. We always went dancing. We didn't have much money, but we enjoyed being with our friends and children. When the children were in college, I started working."
In fact, her career with Eagle County Social Services would span 30 years. Her former English teacher, Frances STANLEY, would later become her employer in that office.
Ruth BEASLEY is also remembered by friends for her devotion to the American Legion Auxiliary, and for her dedication to her part-time position over the years at the Eagle County Historical Society museum, where she was able to share her life-long knowledge of the area. She worked at the museum until July of this year, when she learned of her illness.
Throughout the years Ruth BEASLEY was also known to be a huge sports fan, supporting her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in their activities.
Grandson Miles COLLETT remembers his grandmother's trip with the family to a Colorado Rockies game in the summer of 1999.
"I had tickets for granny and the family, mom, and a few of our cousins. Granny looked like a little kid at Christmas. I remember the Rockies were playing Florida. It was the fifth inning, and she remarked that she didn't come all that way to watch a zero to zero game at Coors Field. The Rockies did win that one. It's a great memory," said COLLETT.
Bill BEASLEY confirms his grandmother's love of sports. "She liked the Broncos and the Rockies. She always said it was never the players' problems out on the field. It was the officiating," he laughed.
Ruth BEASLEY, herself, was a player.
She liked just about every kind of game,, enjoyed playing cards with friends, and would often get into a friendly game of pinochle or bridge. Her favorite pastime, says the family, was bingo. She was known to travel the Western Slope to find a hot game of bingo.
Janet OYLER remembers, "She and grandpa used to travel all over. If they could go to bingo seven days a week, they would. She went to Grand Junction, Central City, even Mesquite, Nevada. They made a lot of friends playing Bingo."
Yet, her crowing glory would always be her devotion to her family.
Daughter Margaret COLLETT recalls, "The family was the most important thing to her. She liked to take care of her kids and grandkids."
Janet OYLER adds, "She made afghans for all the kids. She had one more to finish before she died, but she knew she wouldn't be able to do it. She said someone else would have to finish it for her."
Of her short illness with cancer, the family says that BEASLEY never complained, and was "ready to go." OYLER adds, "She said she had a date with Grandpa."
At Monday's 2 p.m. funeral service at the Gypsum United Methodist Church, officiated by Pastor Keith Hudiburgh, a Therese Williamson poem expressed the sentiments of the family.
"God saw you were getting tired and a cure was not meant to be. So he put his arms around you and whispered, Come with me. With tearful eyes we watched you, as we saw you pass away. Although we loved you deeply, we could not make you stay."
Vocalist and family friend Casey STRICKLER sang a song, written by Ruth BEASLEY's father-in-law, T.A.J. BEASLEY, that confirmed his daughter's strong faith in God. In part, it proclaims, "In the Resurrection Morning, we will see our loved ones coming, clad in robes all decked with jewels rich and rare. It will be a happy meeting."
Ruth BEASLEY was preceded in death by her husband, Paul, and son, John BEASLEY. She is survived by her daughter, Margaret COLLETT, sister and brother-in-law Esther and Bill STANLEY, and daughter-in-law Dianne BEASLEY, six grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Ruth BEASLEY was interred at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Gypsum.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Vail Valley Mountain Hospice, PO Box 4432, Vail Co 81658 or to the Gypsum United Methodist Church, PO Box 10, Gypsum, 81637.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3E - September 24, 2000
Vail Daily - September 24, 2000
LONGTIME GYPSUM RESIDENT RUTH BEASLEY REMEMBERED.
Ruth Martha BEASLEY, 88, of Eagle died Friday, Sept. 22 at the Glen Valley Care Center in Glenwood Springs after a short illness with cancer. Ruth was born in Gypsum on July 20, 1912, to Alfred and Lena Marie HENDRIKSON (Nanny). She lived in the Gypsum area all of her life.
She graduated from high school in Gypsum in 1930. She married "Sharkey" Beasley on Sept. 7, 1930. Ruth worked for Eagle County Social Services for more than 30 years. She was also a devoted member of the American Legion Auxiliary. Throughout the years, Ruth was a huge sports fan, supporting her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in all events. The Broncos and Rockies were top on her list. She never missed a game. Ruth's favorite pastime was bingo, and she often traveled throughout the Western Slope to find a hot game. She enjoyed her part-time job with the Eagle County Historical Society at the museum in Eagle, where she was able to share her lifelong knowledge of the area. Ruth worked at the museum until July of this year.
Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Paul "Sharkey" BEASLEY, and son, John BEASLEY. She is survived by her daughter, Margaret COLLETT; sister and brother-in-law Esther and Bill STANLEY; and daughter-in-law Dianne BEASLEY, as well as six grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at the Gypsum United Methodist Church and a viewing will be noon to 1:30 p.m. with Rev. Keith HUDIBURG officiating. Burial will be at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Gypsum.
Memorial contributions may be made to Vail Valley Mountain Hospice, 320 Beard Creek Road, Edwards, CO 81632 or to the Gypsum United Methodist Church, PO Box 10, Gypsum, CO 81637.
