Marcella Evelyn Beeck-108 Years Young
Marcella passed away peacefully from natural causes on May 28 th in front of her son Michael and daughter Susan at her residence in San Roque. Unconfirmed as the oldest or one of the oldest living people in Santa Barbara and perhaps the State of CA too, she lived a great life and will be missed by many.
Born in rural Montana (Fort Benton), Marcella spent most of her early childhood in Highwood, MT where her parents who were homesteaders, owned a wheat farm. Her father was a carpenter and moved the entire family from Wisconsin 6 years before her birth, along with all their belongings (including a 2-room cabin, 2 horses, and a cow) in a boxcar to Montana. She lived in rustic conditions and endured those long winters in MT in the cabin with a tent attached. Her father built the first church in Highwood, along with a schoolhouse and jail. Marcella lost her father at age 2, to the Spanish Flu epidemic. The 2 nd youngest of 6 kids, Marcella often took on the caregiving role to her younger brother. In 1925 when Marcella was 9, the family returned to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where her mother operated a boarding house. In Wisconsin, Marcella attended the Nursing School at Marquette University and graduated in 1939.
In Wisconsin, she met and married Roy Beeck in 1941 and had 5 children together. Proceeded in death by her husband (Roy)and her 2 daughters (Rae Ellen and Linda). Survived by her eldest daughter and caregiver, Susan Olvera of Santa Barbara, Tom (Marti) Beeck of Washington State, and Michael (Eladia) Beeck of Florida.
Marcella spent most of her adult life in Santa Barbara, moving to the San Roque area in 1952. She loved being a nurse and worked at nursing until she retired at age 83. Working at St. Francis Hospital, Westmont College, UCSB, and Dr. Carswell, M.D., saw her excel in the art of caregiving for others. She was always available for family, friends and neighbors to give assistance too. She loved taking walks and would walk from San Roque to the Santa Barbara pier just to treat herself to a bowl of clam chowder and a Brandy Alexander at the Harbor Restaurant.
She was a fixture in her neighborhood, walking her many dogs during her life. When she couldn’t care for a dog anymore, she made sure she would give treats to all the neighbors dogs on her daily walks to Steven’s Park or around the San Roque area. At her 90-year-old birthday, there was no doubt that she would live to be 100. At age 100, she stopped counting and would usually celebrate her birthday with her favorite, a few slices of pizza and a beer.
She enjoyed cooking, playing cards with her friends and family, (especially “Liverpool Rummy”) and always enjoyed traveling. She loved road trips, traveling throughout the US with her husband, daughter and occasionally her grandkids.
Nothing could stop her from living life. She survived 2 pandemics, (Spanish Flu, and COVID), the Great Depression, 2 World Wars, and countless other events in life. She was a great storyteller and would always share her tales with the family.
When asked what the secret to her longevity was, she said “walking, no medications and occasionally a glass of wine or a gin & tonic with dinner.” She knew she had good genes (her mother died at age 100), and she survived breast cancer in her midlife and a broken pelvis in her 90’s.
She leaves countless of relatives behind in many states. Locally, her nieces Shelley & Kathy Koury of Santa Barbara, grandson Christopher (Nadia) Olvera and great grandchildren (Christopher Kai (100 years younger) and Caydan Makoa) of Carpinteria. Her grandchildren: Michael Olvera of Indiana, Marcella (Brian) Wilkins of Texas, Anna Beeck of Texas, Rae Ellen Beeck (Peter Cady) of Florida, Nicholas (Natasha) Beeck of Nevada, Lindsay Beck (Kerin Patel) of Washington State, and Alyssa Beck (Emily Anderson) of Oregon. Great Grandchildren: Andrew Olvera, Kristine Zeta Olvera, Evelyn Rose Wilkins, Hendrix Wilkins and Roy Cady.
Thanks to all the people and neighbors that helped her over the years. Donna & Doug, Susie, Sue D., Linda, Andres, Sancha, Cara, Nancy, Vince & Marilyn, Harry & Kitty and Monique.
A private celebration of life will be held in July and a mass in her honor will be held at San Roque Catholic Church on 6/25/25 at 10:30am. In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations can be made to the Cystic Fibrosis, Southern California Chapter in her honor.
Cystic Fibrosis was the cause of her daughter Rae Ellen’s death and was always a part of her charitable giving.
