Marie-Elaina Beck

Maria-Elaina Alice-Nicola DiBenedetto Nickerson Beck, ""The Queen,"" passed away Monday, May 19. She was 71 years old. She is survived by her son Terry and daughter Danielle. She is preceded in death by Fred L Beck. Marie-Elaina was born Aug. 23, 1942 in Weymouth, Mass. to Lucy DiBenedetto and Arthur Nickerson. She graduated from Quincy High School in Quincy, Mass. and after dating Fred for a few years the couple married on June 16, 1963. They were married for 48 years. After their wedding, Marie-Elaina and Fred moved to Victoria, Texas and adopted a pet turtle named Terry. They lived in Victoria for several years before moving to Woodbury, NJ where she was a bookkeeper for a local hospital. Shortly after moving to Woodbury, Marie-Elaina and Fred had their son Terry (yes, named after the turtle). Within 10 months they moved again to the place they would forever call home — Colorado. The couple moved to Littleton after a short stay in Lakewood, and in a couple of years they had their daughter Danielle. During this time they were members of Newcomers and met a small group of friends who had all moved from New Jersey to Colorado and became known as The New Jersey Group. This small band has remained friends to this day and their children have all grown up together. With a growing family, Marie-Elaina and Fred moved to a second home in Littleton where Fred's youngest sister Mary-Alyce would come to live with them as she attended school. In 1979 the Becks moved to Connecticut and then moved back to Littleton two years later. Marie-Elaina was famous for her cooking — especially her sauce and her 7-course Thanksgiving meals. Her home was always open to family, friends and her children's friends and she was happy to feed all of them. Additionally, she was a master planner/organizer for moving, parties, her children's schools, garage sales and holiday decorating which she turned into her own business for many years. After her youngest Danielle graduated high school, Marie-Elaina and Fred moved to Wichita, Kan. and after two years moved again to Howell, Mich. In 2009, Maria-Elaina and Fred moved back to Colorado to stay. Services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 24, 2014. Arrangements are being handled by the caring professionals at Horan & McConaty Funeral Home, 5303 E. County Line Road, Centennial, Colo., 80122 (303) 221-0030. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Marie-Elaina's honor to the American Diabetes Association, 2460 W. 26th Ave. # 500C, Denver, CO 80211, or online at www.diabetes.org. Please share your memories of Marie-Elaina and condolences with her family by signing the guestbook.