Mary Lou Beckett

Mary Lou Beckett, 56 of Barnesville died Sunday, February 15, 2009, in the Palliative Care Unit of MeritCare Hospital, Fargo. Mary, daughter of Delbert B. and Janice J. (Lemke) Beckett, was born October 10, 1952 in Moorhead. She attended school and grew to womanhood in Barnesville, graduating from Barnesville High School in 1970. She attended the Moorhead Area Technical Institute, being named to the Directors list, graduating in clerical studies in 1971. Mary lived in Barnesville and worked for the Barnesville Record Review for many years typesetting, proofreading and working on the layout of the paper. She also worked as a clerk - typist for the Internal Revenue Service, Farmers Home Administration and the Small Business Administration. She worked for the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture as an office enumerator and the Bureau of the Census. She also worked in the offices of Olsten Staffing Service with a long term assignment in MeritCare Hospital medical records. Mary continued to live in Barnesville until the time of her death. She was a member of St. James United Church of Christ, Barnesville. She was very active in the organizing and planning of the Barnesville High School all school reunion. Mary was a collector of many different things and many of these collections started with a gift from a friend. She was the unofficial family recorder always taking pictures at functions of family and friends, and she loved photography. Mary was an avid reader especially newspapers. She enjoyed listening to music, was a huge Elvis fan and enjoyed watching award shows. She was also very meticulous about her lawn and the grounds around her home all year round. Mary is survived by her mother Janice J. Beckett of Barnesville; two sisters, Judy (David) Pederson of Pelican Rapids and Rebecca Beckett of Plymouth, Minnesota; one niece, Margaret (Todd) Henderson of Fargo; one great-niece, Grace Henderson at home in Fargo and many cousins, other family members and friends. She is preceded in death by her father, Delbert B. Beckett. Memorials preferred, instead of flowers, to the Rosemound Cemetery Fund. Memorial Service: Wednesday at 10:00 in St. James Untied Church of Christ, Barnesville. Visitation: Today from 5 " 8 with a prayer service at 7 in Dobmeier Funeral Home, Barnesville. Interment: Rosemound Cemetery, Barnesville.