Obituary for Otta Beck

Otta Lea Beck, resident of Ponca City, passed Sunday, April 6, 2014 at the Ponca City Medical Center. She was 92 years of age.

Otta Lea was born September 30, 1921 in Ardmore, Oklahoma, the daughter of Otis and Ethel (Davis) McDaniel. At the age of 2 years she moved with her family to Three Sands, Oklahoma, south of Tonkawa where she grew up and attended the 1XL School.

She married Charles L. Beck on July 25, 1938 in Mulhall, Oklahoma. The couple established their home in the Bressie community where Charles had been raised. The couple was engaged in farming and ranching for 62 years until Charles’ death in 1999.

Otta Lea enjoyed music, sports and spending time with her nieces and nephews. She was a former member of the Bressie Home Demonstration Club and had served on the Marland Election Board for several years. She was a longtime member of the First Christian Church in Ponca City where she had served as Deacon, former chancel choir member and Junior Department teacher.

She is survived by 12 nieces and nephews, Susan (Hall) Anderson and husband Tom, Ponca City, Peggy (Hall) Hammons and husband Doug, Oklahoma City, J.D. Hall of Ponca City, Kenneth Ary and wife Gloria, of Santa Paula, California, Jessie Ary and wife Dianne, Eucha, Oklahoma, Patsy (Ary) Carroll, Santa Paula, California, Rosalee (Buffalohead) Asbury and husband Rick, Ponca City, Priscilla (Buffalohead) Socia and husband Walter, Bakersfield, California, Mark Buffalohead and wife Karen, Eucha, Oklahoma, Tracy (McDaniel) Taylor and husband Tim, Gold Hill, Oregon, Jim Matthiesen of Lexington, Massachusetts, and Preston Matthiesen and wife Virginia, Fort Worth, Texas; several other extended family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one daughter, Trelma Jean Beck in 1945; two sisters, Trelma Louise Buffalohead and Betty Jean Hall; one brother, E.R. “Bud” McDaniel; three nephews, Bob Matthiesen, Patrick Buffalohead and Jerry Hall.

Family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at Grace Memorial Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 10, 2014 at the First Christian Church with Rev. Larry Metzger presiding. Interment will follow in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Christian Church, 210 North 5th Street, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74601.