Mary Lou Beckman

Mary Lou Beckman, 92, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 29, 2020, in Parker, Colorado. She was born on May 6, 1927, to Kenneth Lupton and Margaret (Demling) Lupton in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. An only child, Mary Lou spent much of her time playing with her favorite cousin, Jimmy, and her dog, Skippy. Though her family was spared the harshness of the Great Depression, she had memories of her parents leaving out food for those in need. Her life was uprooted during her high school years when her parents divorced, a somewhat uncommon occurrence in the 1940s. After the divorce, Mary Lou and her mother, Margaret, moved into the Davenport Hotel. Mary Lou shared fun memories of doing her homework while riding up and down in the hotel elevator with her friend who operated the elevator. Mary Lou and her mom were active members of St. Mark†™s Lutheran church. In fact, it was at a Luther League picnic in June 1946, that Mary Lou met the †œone†�, Delmar Beckman. The two hit it off and Delmar drove Mary Lou home where she treated him to a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Despite this, the two knew they were meant for each other and were married less than a year later on Ground Hog†™s Day, Feb. 2, 1947. Since neither of them were 21, their mothers had to sign to give permission for the marriage. Soon Mary Lou and Del started a family with the birth of their first daughter, Pamela Sue, in 1949, and their second daughter, Sally Jo, in 1950. In addition to staying home to raise her daughters, Mary Lou remained active in her church and the school PTA. She taught Sunday School, served in various PTA posts, and was a Girl Scout Leader. In the early 1960†™s, the family moved to Colorado to live near Mary Lou†™s mother and step-father. They first lived in Colorado Springs then moved to Denver. In 1965, they decided to have another child, undoubtedly trying for a son. Instead they ended up with daughter number three, Patricia Ann. The family made their permanent home in Lakewood, Colorado. During these years, they were active members of American Lutheran Memorial Church, which became a huge part of their spiritual and social lives. In addition, Mary Lou worked for the Jeffco School District as a teacher†™s aide. She and Del also joined a camping club, where they made many life-long friends. Mary Lou and Del both retired from their jobs in 1988. They spent the next several years traveling all over the United States in their 5th wheel trailer until Del passed away in 2002. Mary Lou remained active. She loved traveling and going to movies with her widowed friends. She also contributed many hours volunteering at West Metro Fire. But her favorite hobbies included eating out and playing cards. She was a bit of a card shark and wasn†™t the type of grandma who let the grandkids win. In fact, she was the spit-fire grandma who made sure her grandchildren knew how many ounces were in a shot glass. She will always be known as the fun grandma who roasted marshmallows over a gas stove and who loved having fun with her grandchildren. Her daughters remember a mom who was always waiting for them to come home from school, who patiently listened to every single detail of their day, and always put her own needs last. Mary Lou is survived by her daughters: Sally (John) Sass, and Patricia (Brian) Borchers; grandchildren Jessica Sass, Stephen Olivarez, Michelle Hoar, Tyler and Claire Borchers; and great grandchildren: Chrystian, Zoie, Quinton, Aurorial, Jasmine, Gabrielle, Harmony and Violet. She is preceded in death by her husband, Delmar, and daughter, Pamela. The Memorial Service and reception scheduled for March 21, 2020 is currently postponed.