Norma Beck

Norma Dale Beck, 92 years old, passed away October 16, 2018, in Odessa, Texas.

A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Odessa, Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 11:00 AM, and the Comital will be held at 3:00 at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Dale was born in Duncan, Oklahoma on January 15, 1926 to Emma and Martin Reagan. She grew up in Duncan, Dallas, Houston, and Laurel, Mississippi with her parents and brother Carroll. In 1944, Dale attended a camp dance at Camp Shelby near Laurel, Mississippi, where she met Emil Beck before he went to Europe during World War II. In 1946, Dale attended the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque where she studied Fine Arts before her marriage to Emil. They were married on September 29, 1947, on the national radio show, ABC's Bride and Groom Show in Hollywood, California. After marrying, Dale worked as a secretary while Emil completed his college degree in Lubbock at Texas Tech. They moved to Odessa in 1950, where Emil had found employment, at which time they joined First Presbyterian Church where they have been faithful members for 68 years.

In Odessa, Dale worked primarily as a homemaker, raising four children. She also continued her college studies, and, in 1976, she completed her bachelor's degree in Art at the University of Texas at the Permian Basin. Dale was active in various civic organizations and with Presbyterian Women, serving in leadership positions as needed. She was an active member and former president of the Jaycee-Ettes, the Odessa Art Association, the Horizon's Watercolor Group; she was an avid member of the Odessa Duplicate Bridge Club. She enjoyed painting, playing tennis, gardening, and playing bridge. She achieved the rank of Life Master in the American Contract Bridge League.

Dale was an accomplished artist, working in oils, acrylics, pastels, pen and ink, and watercolor media; and she painted portraits, landscapes and still life's for more than seven decades. She won numerous awards at local juried art shows, and was the 1998 recipient of the Heritage of Odessa Foundation Award in the category of Art. Dale volunteered for Meals on Wheels for many years.

Dale is preceded in death by her father, brother, and mother.

She is survived by her husband, Emil Beck; and by her four children and their spouses: Karen Ayyad, Janine and husband Steve Briley, Reagan and wife Tracy Beck, and Leslie and husband Roger Watkins; and by her fourteen grandchildren and step-grandchildren and spouses: Nasser Ayyad, Rosa Ayyad, Nura Ayyad, Julie Briley, John and wife Rachel Briley, Will Briley, Emily Beck and husband Jeremy Barras, Natalie Beck, Andrew Watkins and wife Asma Ajroudi, Brian Watkins and fiancée Jamie Park, Catherine Watkins, Jocynda Sciretta, Leann and husband Cody Wauson, Erin and husband Hermes Vaca; and by seven great grandchildren and step-great grandchildren: Sawyer Briley, Keagan Sciretta, Koehn Rieken, Elijiah Bruce, Hattie Wauson, Celeste Vaca, and Matthew Vaca; and by numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family.

The family of Dale Beck wishes to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to all her dear and faithful friends who have supported Dale and her family, as well as the compassionate, loving staff members from Home Hospice.

Arrangements are entrusted to Sunset Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home. To send family condolences please sign her guestbook at www.sunsetodessa.com.

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