Merle Beckman York

â�,��**– Merle Beckman York, born March 6, 1927, in Anaconda to Fay Morris Beckman and Elsie Campbell Beckman, ended her more than 86-year struggle with mortality Friday, Oct. 25, 2013, at Riverside Health Care Center with family at her side. Merle grew up in Depression- and New Deal-era Anaconda/ Opportunity. She attended schools in Anaconda and graduated from Anaconda High School in 1944. After high school, she worked at Woolworth's until she began working in the office for Dr. Dunlap, assisting him with whatever he needed her to do: passing instruments during procedures, cleaning up after procedures or taking care of the children who had tonsillectomies while the doctor went to lunch.

In the summer of 1943, she met Herb York in front of the Stevensville Feed Store while visiting her good friend Betty Zebarth, whose family had moved to the Bitterroot Valley. Merle and Herb were married July 14, 1945, in Missoula at the home of Otto and Venoy (Cox) York on Hilda Avenue. Herb was on leave from the Army Air Corps and after the wedding and a honeymoon at the Tamaracks on Seeley Lake, Merle and Herb moved to Riverside, Calif., where Herb was being trained as a belly gunner in the B-29. Merle worked for the Army at the base as a clerk.

Just before Christmas Eve and with Merle two months pregnant, they traveled by train from Riverside to Idaho Falls, Idaho, where they had to get a taxi to travel to Butte in order to catch the bus to Anaconda. Merle stayed in Anaconda with her parents until their daughter Gerrie was born the end of July 1946. The war ended before Herb saw active duty. Shortly after, they moved to Missoula so Herb could enroll at what was then Montana State University.

In November 1948, Randy was born while they were living in the post-war-era married student housing referred to as the "strip houses." John was born in June 1951. Herb had graduated with a degree in biology and the family spent the summer of 1951 at the Coram workstation for the U.S. Forest Service, where Herb was a biologist. The following school year, Herb returned to UM to complete his teacher's certification and then the family moved to St. Ignatius where they made their home for the next 44 years. During the 1954-55 school year, Merle provided an in-home kindergarten for five children. In September 1955, the family was complete with the birth of Steve.

In the late 1950s, Merle was battling problems with mobility, partial paralysis and balance. After a process of elimination, the doctors felt quite certain she was in the throes of multiple sclerosis. This diagnosis was not officially confirmed for more than 20 years.

During these years, Herb spent numerous summers attending post-graduate classes with National Science Foundation grants. Merle was ever the good sport, either staying in St. Ignatius with the kids or packing up to move for the summer or, in the case of New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, N.M., for the whole year. While in New Mexico, she worked as the secretary for Coach Gibson and the athletic department. After returning home in the fall of 1962, Merle began working as the secretary of St. Ignatius High School and the superintendent. She worked there for 10 years until the multiple sclerosis led her to a disability retirement. Her office counter was always populated with high school students seeking her counsel or wanting to share something with her.

Merle never allowed MS to define her life. During many trying years, she continued to maintain her blithe spirit and positive demeanor. She faced her disability with a strength and dignity we all only hope we will be able to muster in the face of such adversity. After Herb died, her 10 years at Riverside Care Center brought many new young people into her life as the staff often sought her out to tell her stories of their lives or share a Grizzlies game day tailgate party with her. And her constant stream of family and friend visitors from hither and yon helped her fill her hours and create new stories and memories for her to share with all.

Merle was preceded in death by her husband, Herb York; father, Fay Beckman; mother, Elsie Beckman; sisters, Fran (Beckman) Harris and husband Glen Harris, Betty (Beckman) Anderson, and Ralpha (Beckman) York and husband Ken York; brother, Ronnie Beckman and wife Betty (Zebarth) Beckman; brother-in-law, Ray Gann; and grandson, Cameron Ryan York. She is survived by her daughter, Gerrie (Bruce) Hedquist of Albuquerque, N.M.; sons, Randy (Marty) York of Missoula, John (Corey) York of Kalispell and Steve (Kim) York of Helena; along with eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren; close nephew, Mike (Michelle) York of Seattle; sister, Audrey Gann (Maurice) Baker of Salt Lake City; brother, Frank (Dee) Beckman of Denver; sister-in-law, Margaret (Maggie) York of Superior; and numerous dearly loved nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held during the summer of 2014.

Read Merle York's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.