Sarah Crouse Beck

Sarah Frances Crouse Beck, 93, of Greensboro Street Extension, passed away from this life to the next on Friday afternoon, September 28, 2018.  She had been seriously ill for more than one week.

A funeral service will be at 2:00 PM Tuesday, October 2 at Pilgrim Reformed Church, where she was the oldest member by Pastors Richard Moore and William Sowers.  Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

The family will receive friends prior to the service at the church from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.

Sarah was the second of four daughters born to Nannis and Betsey Briggs Crouse on November 19, 1924.  Her father was a blacksmith and farmer who raised his family through the Great Depression which left a lasting impression on all who experienced it.  She graduated in 1941 from Pilot School in Thomasville.  Her first job was learning office work through the National Youth Administration, a New Deal Program instituted by Franklin D. Roosevelt.  She later learned accounting and bookkeeping skills on the job while working for Mr. Henry Knapp, owner of Red Bird Cab Company.  These skills would be her forte and served her well the rest of her working life.

Sarah married Freddie Hill Beck on April 6, 1946, after he returned from overseas duty in Australia and New Guinea during World War II.  One year later, the newlyweds welcomed the first of three children and Sarah became a stay-at-home mother.  She worked hard raising her family using skills she had learned from her childhood on the farm and early work experience.  She made many of the children’s clothes herself and of course, canned produce from the family garden.  After the children started school, she returned to public work at Furniture Makers Supply and later, at Lexington Specialty Foods.  After a short retirement, she went back to work part-time in bookkeeping for Cornerstone Insurance Company until her early 80’s.  Sarah loved books, periodicals, raising flowers, the outdoors, a good bargain, and traveling.  She was blessed to travel to England, Holland, and Germany, as well as bus tours to North Dakota and other places in America.  She especially enjoyed trips with her unofficially “adopted” daughter and faithful friend, Jane Kinley.

Sarah believed strongly in family and held many family dinners over the years which still hold a special place in their hearts. She was incredibly supportive, gracious and gave praise and encouragement to all. Sarah also liked to give back by volunteering as a docent with the Davidson County Historical Museum and Contact, a crisis intervention line. She was given to hospitality to others and enjoyed living life to the fullest. Sarah loved her family and friends and was loved in return but loved most of all by her Lord and Savior.

Sarah was preceded in death by her husband, Freddie Hill Beck, who died April 12, 1997, her parents, her older sister, Grace Virginia Toney, and her younger sister, Betsy (Sunny) Watkins.

She is survived by her younger sister, Bobbie Jane Hege of Jamestown, and her children,   Betsy Cockman (Steve) of Pittsboro, David Beck (Jan) of Lexington, and Julia Leonard (Robert) of Lexington. Her grandchildren are Michelle Beck (husband Rich Gaschnig) of Lowell, MA and Jonathan Beck of Lexington.

The family would like to thank Hospice of Davidson County for the loving care they provided Sarah and the family.

Memorials may be made to Pilgrim Reformed Church, 797 Pilgrim Church Road, Lexington NC 27295.