Tuesday, November 15, 2011

We Love You Mom!

Its hard to know what to say to pay tribute to such an incredible woman.  Feelings are still tender right now, but we wanted to share Gae's obituary until we are able to adequately express our love for her.



Gae Terena Morrow Beckstrom (56) loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, teacher, and friend, born July 22, 1955 passed away November 10, 2011 after a courageous fight with cancer. She is now reunited with her parents, David Lendrum Morrow III and Yvonne Easthope Morrow and brother Roy Morrow.


She is survived by her husband, Blake D. Beckstrom (Taylorsville, UT); her children, Erin (Jonathan) Thomas (West Valley City, UT), Emily (David) Smith (Kearns, UT), Adam (Andrea) Beckstrom (Alexandria, VA), and Jamilyn (Nathan) Morris (Taylorsville, UT); sisters Dawn (Mark) Yarbro (Ft. Worth, TX), Rachel Morrow (Kearns, UT) and brother Darren (Becky) Morrow (Riverton, UT); and 7 grandchildren. Her family is her greatest love and she lived to serve them.

Gae and Blake met at Kearns High School and were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 24, 1977. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood Development specialty. She loved teaching children. Gae taught kindergarten at David Gourley Elementary for 5 years before retiring to raise her growing family. After a few years, she opened a home preschool (Early Bird) which she taught for 17 years. She returned to public school in 2002, teaching kindergarten at Lone Peak Elementary and then Monte Vista Elementary schools. She touched the lives of hundreds of young children who brought immense joy to her life in return. During her last two years, while teaching full-time and fighting cancer, she was driven to complete her Masters Degree in Elementary Education from SUU. She also had an undying love for animals of all kinds. She loved music, played the guitar, and instilled a love of music in her children. She taught her children and grandchildren to read and to love books. She filled many ward and stake church callings in Primary, Young Womens’, and Relief Society as a teacher and leader, and served in the Jordan River Temple as an ordinance worker. She also performed humanitarian service by helping orphans in Romania. She was loved, and will be deeply missed, by all who knew her.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, November 16th at 11:00 AM at the Bennion 12th Wardhouse (6540 S. 2700 W., Taylorsville, UT). Friends may visit at a viewing beginning an hour before the funeral, or at McDougal Funeral Home (4330 S. Redwood Road, Taylorsville, UT) on Tuesday, November 15th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.

9 comments:

Kaeloni said...

I am so sorry to hear that! I had no idea she had passed! Prayers are with your family. She was an amazing woman who will be missed!! Sure loved her!

Kristen said...

We love you, Beckstrom family. Thoughts and prayers for you and the rest of your family.

ClancyPants said...

This is heartbreaking to read. It's a strange thing that I've just been living my life, fairly bump free, and my friend Andrea and her husband and his family have been going through the hardest time of their lives... and I didn't even know. I knew she was sick, but I didn't realize that it had progressed so far. It makes me think differently on the last few weeks of my own life.

I am praying for you and Adam and his family to have peace and comfort and that you will move through the phases of grieving with grace and love. God bless you.

Love,
Clancy

The Winegar's said...

Gae was an incredible woman who loved her family. I'm so glad that we had her influence in our lives. We will miss her smiling face.

The Hilton Family~ said...

Words can not express how very sorry I am for your loss! My heart is breaking for your sweet family! Gae is such an incredible woman with such a strong positive attitude. Please know that your family is in my thoughts and prayers. Love you all!

Morgan said...

I'm so sorry for this heartbreaking loss. Sending lots of love and prayers your way.

Jill T said...

She sounds like such an incredible and wonderful woman; I'm sorry I never had the chance to meet her. I am so sorry for your loss; we will be thinking about you and praying for you. We love your family and we are sorry for the pain you are going through.

Holly said...

Andrea I'm so sorry! I didn't know this had happened. My prayers will be with you and your family.

Liz said...

Andrea and Adam,
So so sorry to hear about Adams mom. My thoughts and prayers are with you especially during this holiday season. We love you.
Russ and Liz packer