At the age of seven, she was adopted as an only child by William and Lena Welborn of Harrisonville, MO. Mary Alice received many blessings in her life and was thankful for the opportunity of being raised in a Christian home and for many years of piano lessons. She started playing hymns for Sunday School at age eleven and continued to play piano and organ in churches for years.
A mutual love of gospel music brought Mary Alice’s future husband, who sang, into her life at age sixteen. On July 5th, 1952, she was united in marriage to John E. Beckerdite of the Harrisonville/Archie community. They lived in Cass County, MO most of their married life except for eleven and a half years in Colorado.
They were blessed with four children, and Mary Alice is survived by Ron Beckerdite and wife, Marvina, of Neosho, MO, Rhonda Bennett and husband, Cliff of Harrisonville, MO, Brenda Ellis and husband, Michael, of Kansas City, MO and Don Beckerdite and wife, Joeva, of Raymore, MO. She was also blessed with 11 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and- five great-great grandchildren. Mary Alice was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, John E. Beckerdite. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Clarence and Garry Vinson, one sister, Thelma Vinson Matthes, and one half-brother, Earl Smith. One remaining brother, Eugene Vinson and one half-brother, Irvin Smith, survive her.
A member of Faith Baptist Church in Raymore, MO, Mary Alice acknowledged that music had always been an important part of her family’s life. She thanked God for the blessing and opportunity to testify of God’s love through playing the piano and organ. God Is So Good!
Cremation with inurnment at Freeman Cemetery, Freeman, Missouri at a later date. Service times will be posted once that information becomes available.
Memorial contributions may be made to One Community Hospice and send in care of Dickey Funeral Home, PO Box 432, Harrisonville, Missouri 64701.
