Florence Irene (Shearer) Beck

Florence Irene Beck, a longtime resident of Sandia Park died Saturday, November 26, 2022. Born March 29, 1934 in Schenectady, New York, Florence spent her formative years in Albuquerque, graduating from Albuquerque High School in 1950. Prior to her 1951 marriage to Clarence "Demp" Beck, she worked a carnival "floss joint" making cotton candy and, later after the couple moved to Gunnison, Colorado, became a librarian. A Sandia Park resident since 1986, she sang soprano in the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church choir and in the annual Christmas performance of Handel's Messiah. She was a long-time employee of Tinkertown Museum, where her warm heart, quick wit and no-nonsense demeanor will be fondly remembered.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Dempsey Beck; daughter, Heidi Marie Sweeney; and brother, James Shearer. She is survived by her granddaughters, Cherie, Eric, and Tara; nine great-grandchildren; nieces, Wendy and Jamie; nephew, Michael; sisters-in-law, Michelle Shearer of Palm Springs, CA and Cherie Fenton of Rio Rancho, NM.

Services will be held Monday, December 5, 2022, 11:00 a.m., at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 12121 NM-14 in Cedar Crest, NM. Interment will be at Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe. In lieu of flowers, a donation to Prince of Peace Lutheran School is much appreciated.