Mabel Elizabeth James Thompson Beck

1926 - 2019

Mabel Elizabeth (Betty) James Thompson Beck

BETHEL - On Thursday, December 19, 2019 Mabel Elizabeth (Betty) James Thompson Beck was reunited with her loved ones in Heaven at the age of 93. Born September 1, 1926 to Robert (Bob) E. James and Mabel E. Harris James of Bethel, North Carolina. She was the middle of three children with an older brother, Robert (Bob) E. James, Jr. and a younger brother Benjamin William (Bill) James III and grew up on the family farm outside of Bethel. Betty met George C. Thompson Jr, of Falls Church, Virginia while attending East Carolina Teachers College in Greenville, NC. They were married on March 15, 1944 in Bethel.

George served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and following the war, Betty and George settled in Simi Valley, CA to raise their four children George C. Thompson III, Gail E. Beatty, Janice E. Layton and James E. Thompson. Betty's husband George Jr. passed away in 1968 and shortly thereafter Betty returned to college. She graduated from California Lutheran College with a degree in psychology and received her license to practice family and child counseling. Betty was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church and participated in the United Methodist Women (UMW), the largest denominational faith organization for women. She participated at the local and state levels, serving as president of her church's UMW for many years. She also served on the Simi Valley Unified School District school board as both a member and as president.

Betty met her second husband, Harold (Hal) R. Beck in 1971 and they were married November 22, 1975 and lived in Sherman Oaks, CA. They later moved to Oceanside, CA after retirement. Hal and Betty traveled the world in their retirement years. They both loved learning about and experiencing the many cultures which they explored. They were in awe of the many wonders of the world they visited.

Betty dedicated her life to her family and was an excellent example of Christ's love to all she met. She was always willing to help in any way and was the center of our large family. Betty had four children, two step-children, fifteen grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren, with her eighteenth great grandchild due on December 30, 2019. Betty was preceded in death by her parents Bob and Mabel James, husbands George Thompson, Jr. and Harold Beck; her brothers Bob Jr and Bill; her oldest son George III and her stepson Wesley.

Graveside funeral services will be held Saturday, January 11th at the Oakwood Cemetery in Falls Church, VA at 11:00 am. Family members would like to visit with those who are in attendance after the service. For those who would like to give a memorial in Betty's name, please give to the Bethel United Methodist Church, Bethel, NC or to the Alzheimer's Association.

As published in The Daily Reflector