Eleanor Ruth Ord Beck

Eleanor Ruth Ord Beck Gardner, 88, of Nyssa, Oregon passed away at Heritage Care Center in American Fork, Utah on November 1, 2010. She was a great example of being positive when enduring to the end and believed that attitude determined altitude.
Ruth was born February 20, 1922 in Nephi, Utah to George and Loretta Russell Ord. She was the youngest of seven children. She was the State of Utah High School Women's Long Jump Champion in 1940. She met and married John Melvin Beck February 1, 1941 in Ely, Nevada. The marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake City Temple January 8, 1948. Together they were blessed with 6 wonderful children.
Ruth was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where she served two stake missions, young women's president, faithful visiting teacher and camp director for 20 years and taught early morning seminary for many years. She worked as an office manager for her husband's Real Estate business and Precision Planter Manufacturing company. She also worked as a tax preparer for H&R Block at their Nyssa, Oregon office for over 25 years. She was a member of the Nyssa Chamber of Commerce, Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Amity Club and past Nyssa PTA President. She was well known for her joke telling and ghost stories being told on the Beck island. Ruth was a great cook. She could prepare a delicious meal quickly. The dinner table was a daily family gathering place and made for great conversation. Mom could hear a tune and sit down on the piano and play it by ear. She was a very gifted woman.
In 2005, she moved to Summerfield Assisted living in Orem, Utah. After 17 years of being a widow, Ruth met and married Weldon Gardner there on September 9, 2006, the first marriage ceremony ever at the Assisted Living Center. Weldon's loving heart and concern for her care were beyond description and a tremendous help to the family.
Ruth was preceded in death by her husband Mel Beck, her parents, her brothers Vince, Merle and John Ord, her sisters Mildred Ingram, Alice Thornton, and Nelda Haney and one great grandson, Carson James Alfonso.
Ruth is survived by her 6 children and their spouses: Barbara (Clark Stringham) of Sandy, Utah, John (Lynette Hall) of Provo, Utah, Laurel (Craig Jones) of Alpine, Utah James (Trudy Weixler) of Salt Lake City, Utah Richard (Lucy Garner) of Nyssa, Oregon Karla (Robert Burton) of Nampa Idaho, her husband Weldon Gardner, 37 grandchildren and 80 plus great grand children.
Funeral Services will be held Friday, November 12, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at the Nyssa L.D.S. Stake Center, 1309 Park Avenue. A Viewing will start at 12:30 p.m. Interment will be at the Nyssa Hill Top Cemetery following the service.
The family would like to give special thanks to the staff at Heritage Care Center and to Wendy Henry of Bristol Hospice as well as the many other caregivers at Bristol Hospice. Thank you, thank you.