Nancy Sue Beckman

Nancy Sue Beckman, 73, of Battle Lake, died Sunday, November 6, 2016, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her family at her home on Otter Tail Lake, while under the care of Lakeland Hospice.

Nancy was born August 20, 1943, to Joseph and Gladys (Vance) Lehman in Breckenridge. She grew up and graduated from Fergus Falls High School in 1961, where she was active in band, theatre and cheerleading. After graduation, she attended Fergus Falls Community College and St. Cloud State University.

On December 26, 1964, she was united in marriage to Bernard Thomas Beckman in Fergus Falls, and spent the first part of their marriage in San Antonio, TX, while Bernie served in the United States Army. They had two children from this union; daughter, Tracy and son, Tom. They moved to St. Cloud for a short while, and in 1968 they moved to Minneapolis, where they spent the majority of the next twenty years raising their family.

Nancy worked for the Benton Harbor, MI and Plymouth YMCA’s and Carlson Company as an administrative assistant retiring in 2001.

In 2003 they purchased a home on Otter Tail Lake and moved there in 2006. They enjoyed spending their winters in Florida at their home in The Villages.

Among Nancy’s many interests were golfing, fishing, reading and traveling. But above all, her passion was raising her family, participating in her grandchildren’s lives and spending time with good friends. Throughout her life, Nancy had a special gift for developing and nurturing loving and caring life-long relationships. She was not only a cheerleader in her younger years, but was always a source of encouragement and support for those fortunate enough to be touched by her. Nancy will be dearly missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Gladys Lehman; a sister, Carol Thompson; and a brother-in-law, Loren Kern.

Nancy is survived by her husband of fifty-one years, Bernie Beckman of Battle Lake; a daughter, Tracy (Greg) Schimdt of West St. Paul; a son, Tom (Kerby) Beckman of Seattle, WA; her grandchildren, Kateri, Maggie, Annie, Thomas, Isaac, Gianna and Ian; her sisters, Bonnie Kern and Sharon (David) Wilde; her sisters-in-law, Sharon (Ken) Carpenter and Kathy (Mark) Swenson; a brother-in-law, David Thompson; and numerous nieces, nephews and good friends.

Visitation: 10:00-11:00 AM on Friday, November 11, 2016, at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Battle Lake
Service: 11:00 AM on Friday, November 11, 2016, at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Battle Lake
Officiant: Father LeRoy Schik
Interment: Private family burial at Riverside Cemetery in Breckenridge
Arrangements provided by Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls