Ursula Kathryn Beck

DECATUR -- Ursula Kathryn Beck, 71, of Decatur died at 4:55 p.m. on January 5, 2004 in Manor Care Health Services.

Concelebrated Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 A.M., Friday, January 9, 2004 at St. James Catholic Church in Decatur, Illinois with Father Dennis Kollross as Celebrant. Visitation will be 2 to 4 P.M., and 5 to 8 P.M. with prayer service at 5 P.M., Thursday, January 8, 2004 at Brintlinger & Earl Funeral Home. Burial will be in Wheeler Cemetery in Oakley Township immediately following Mass. Memorials: Darrell and Ursula Beck Charitable Trust c/o P.O. Box 973, Decatur, Il 62525

Ursula was born February 9, 1932, in Decatur, the daughter of Frank and Gertrude (Schlemm) Young. She was a graduate of St. Teresa High School, class of 1950.

She was a professional dancer with the Fred Hensy Dance Studio and was an outstanding tap dancer. As a youth, Ursula was the seven-time Decatur Recreation Department Girls Junior Tennis Champion. As an adult, she was the Millikin University women's tennis coach. She still holds the highest lifetime winning percentage of any women's tennis coach at Millikin University.

She married Darrell Wayne Beck on November 14, 1953. Together, they had seven children - Mark, Matthew, Angela, Amelia, Daniel, Samuel and Margaret.

Ursula managed Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Decatur and Bloomington. She choreographed and directed five Mental Health Cotillions and directed five annual spring musicals for St. Teresa High School. She was the play-by-play spotter for St. Teresa High School Football from 1967 to 1999. Also, Ursula was a certified high school girl's volleyball referee for many years.

She was a lifetime member of St. James Catholic Church, active in the Adult Choir, home and school association and was very active in the local, state and worldwide Knights of Columbus. She had nine audiences with Pope John Paul II and was a member of the Knight Commander - Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. The Holy Sepulcher is the highest-ranking honor that can be bestowed on a layperson in the Catholic Church. She met Mother Teresa and volunteered in her soup kitchen in Rome.

Ursula served as a board member with the American Red Cross and Webster Cantrell Hall. She volunteered with Central Illinois Special Olympics, Good Samaritan Inn, Central Illinois Prison ministries, and as a St. Teresa High School cheerleader advisor.

Together, Ursula and Darrell contributed to many area capital campaign and development projects, including: St. James Catholic Church, Springfield Catholic Diocese in Illinois, St. Teresa High School, Catholic Charities, St. Mary's Hospital Foundation, Millikin University, Eastern Illinois University Newman Center, Richland Community College, Decatur Park District Foundation, Decatur Community Central Park Water Fountain, Kemmerer Village, Easter Seal Society of Central Illinois, YMCA/YWCA, Korean War Veterans, SummerStart and WILL.

The couple was the sole financial sponsor for five years of the Decatur Recreation Department Park Summer Staff Singers and sponsors the USTA Ursula K. Beck Pro Tennis Tournament held annually at Fairview Park. The couple funds academic scholarships at Millikin University, Richland Community College and St. Teresa High School.

For their extraordinary generosity, two Illinois facilities were named in their honor - the Darrell and Ursula Beck Special Olympic Training Facility in Bloomington and the Ursula Beck Tennis Pro Shop at Fairview Park in Decatur.

As a couple, the Beck's were also honored with the Illinois State Knights of Columbus Council Family of the Year, Sertoma International Family of the Year, membership in the Millikin University 2001 Medallion Society, Easter Seals Seal of Tribute designation and the Metro Decatur Chamber of Commerce Civic Leadership Award.

Surviving are her sisters Patricia Galligan and Norma Robinson (Harry) of Decatur; son Mark S (Dominique) of Los Angeles, California; son Matthew A. (Natalie) of Decatur; daughter Angela C. of Austin, Texas; daughter Amelia M. Bliefnick (Raymond) of Decatur; son Daniel J. (Tunde) of Seattle, Washington; son Samuel F. (Jennifer) of Naperville, Illinois; and daughter Margaret U. Beck Pugh (Bradley) of Decatur; grandchildren, Christine, Stephanie and Emily Beck; Ted, Tim and Tom Bliefnick; Estelle and Lillian Beck; August and Sutton Beck; and Lauryn and Gracey Pugh and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and sisters Mary Frances Stowell, Bea McManus, and Gay Young.

Ursula always had compassion for the people in her life. She was a tremendous wife, mother and friend to all. She was perpetually positive and inspired everyone around her to achieve and be the very best that they could be. Ursula always said, "God never gives you more than you can handle," and she demonstrated that everyday as she participated in her religious and community affairs, raised seven children, and loved her husband.

Your work on this earth is now done, dear Ursula. Your legacy of commitment, understanding and kindness is firmly in place. We will remember, love and miss you always.

The family wishes to thank the entire staff of Manor Care for their superb compassion, consideration and love in caring for Ursula.

Obituary written by family members