Some years later, her mother remarried and baby Frank was born and adored. Sadly, the family later lost Frank’s father as well. When the war ended, the little family moved west to Washington State, where Jeanne grew up studying piano and the pipe organ, excelling at both. She graduated from high school in 1960 and married her high school sweetheart, Rich Beck, who was drafted by the New York Yankees as a pitcher. Together, they moved to Florida, where he trained, joining farm teams in Puerto Rico and other parts of the East. As a testament to her gutsy can-do nature, she squatted behind a batter's station and bravely caught her husband's blazing practice pitches, which didn't make the rest of her family terribly happy. During the offseason, she worked at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, served as executive secretary for the ITT Corporation in Richland, WA, and later worked for the URS Corporation in Texas.
In 1968, while in Ft. Lauderdale for spring training, a daughter, Katie, was born, which became her ultimate catch! From then on, she focused on nurturing that daughter. Rich’s baseball career ended, and they returned to Washington State.
The marriage later dissolved. Liz married Arden Roush in Spokane, WA, in 1975. In this union, she gained another daughter, Kathy Lopez of Thousand Oaks, California. Not long afterward, they moved to Minneola, Kansas to embark on their lives of service together at the First Christian Church.
Liz served as the church secretary, taught the high school Sunday school class, directed Christmas pageants, and used her musical talents in so many ways to serve her Lord. She also drove a school bus for children with disabilities, and eventually obtained a degree in floral design, fulfilling her lifelong passion for flowers and design. Liz also was an accomplished and exceptionally versatile painter across nearly every medium. She painted many murals in homes and, alongside painter friends, undertook loftier projects, including building murals. The grandest of all was painting the entire south face of a large, multilevel bank in Dodge City, KS, depicting a stagecoach roaring into the historic town, evoking the atmosphere of the 19th-century American Wild West. Truly spectacular, this feat was featured in newspapers throughout the region.
Katie became a competitive vocalist, and Liz was her greatest fan, never missing one performance. Kathy and her two boys visited in the summers, trying out their California skills on Grandpa’s John Deere mowers (terribly disappointing SKILL, but loads of fun). Upon Katie's graduation in 1986, Arden retired from the ministry, and they moved to the family farm in Lebanon, where they farmed alongside Arden's brother, Wayne. Two years later, Arden was called again to the ministry, serving at the Lebanon Christian Church, where he was baptized as a youth and remained until his retirement in 2000.
Liz loved the farm. She worked alongside Arden for many years in the fields and assisted with his ministry in the church. She also worked joyously with her beloved friend, Lisa, in her Smith Center flower shop. Eventually, Arden built a shop where she started a cottage industry that included flower arranging, decorative painting, and woodworking. Arden assisted her business in crafting many of the wooden pieces she had designed; in the evenings, saws and drills buzzed out in the shop, they were a great team. Liz again became immersed in church activities with Arden. She also greatly enjoyed membership in the local Music Club, always having a fun story to tell after rehearsals. She once portrayed a sassy Nancy Sinatra in “These Boots are Made for Walkin'”, complete with white go-go boots and a long wig.
Upon Arden’s retirement from the ministry and farming, they moved to Nevada, Missouri, to be near Katie and the grandchildren. They joined the First Baptist Church, and Liz sang in the church choir. She also enjoyed membership in the Community Choir; practices were fun-filled, and performances were magical. Always in team apparel, Arden & Liz enjoyed following granddaughter, Adrian, “Sugarbaby,” in her sporting events into college which kept things exciting; and Liz kept Collin’s nose in a book at the library, gave him painting lessons, took him to parks, and, yes, there was a Dairy Queen trip here and there (for both Collin AND Grandpa).
In recent years, Liz enjoyed family events and quiet days with her birds, as well as visiting with neighbors. Kathy and her oldest son, Steven, moved to Nevada, Missouri, which made life fuller, particularly after the loss of Arden.
Liz made a large footprint in many lives. One can never go into a kitchen, a closet, a drawer, or a garden where she hasn't made a significant contribution, never missing an opportunity to add beauty and cheer where she was able. A devout Christian, she spent a great deal of time in the Word, cared and shared with all, and dearly loved FUN. She is a very big loss to us all.
Liz leaves her daughter, Katie, and her husband, Bill Williams, of Nevada, MO; grandson, Collin Bond and granddaughter, Adrian Bond (Nevada, MO); stepdaughter, Kathy Lopez (Nevada, MO); grandsons, Steven Lopez (Nevada, MO) and David Lopez and wife, Courtney (Simi Valley, CA); sister, Joan Daniels (Anchorage, AK); niece, Mary Eikmeyer (Anchorage, AK); two nephews, Isaac and Jordan Case (Pasco, WA); cousin, Liz Bourland (Gig Harbor, WA); close friend, Lisa (Kline) Wilson (Pensacola, FL); and countless other friends and acquaintances. Preceding her in death were her beloved spouse, Arden; her father; her mother; her baby brother, Frank; and nieces, Sarah and Erin.
Services will be held Saturday, January 31, at 11 a.m. at the Christian Church in Lebanon, Kansas, with committal to follow at Price Cemetery in Lebanon, Kansas.
Memorial contributions may be made directly to the Christian Church, 411 Walnut St., Lebanon, Kansas, 66952 or in care of Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada, MO.
