MARYANN BEEMAN
1924 2023
Maryann Beeman went to her heavenly home on February 21, 2023. She was 98. She was born on July 24, 1924 in Sacramento, the only child of Margaret Bradford and Raymond Russell. She was named after two of her grandmothers Mary Beatrice Bannon Bradford and Annette Smith Russell.
When she was 5 years old she took a boat to Hawaii where her grandmother was teaching at the University of Hawaii. During the summers she would vacation in Santa Cruz because her grandmother owned a cottage there and she loved going to the Boardwalk. Maryann later moved to San Jose and attended Merritt Trace Elementary School. She next lived in Ione where she took piano lessons from Dave Brubecks mother at her ranch, where in the evening after dinner, everyone who could play took turns entertaining. She then moved to Butte, Montana a mining town that still had a hanging tree. Outside Butte was Meterville, which was where the mines were. Meterville also had speakeasys where one went for great meals, gambling, and drinks. Maryanns family used to go there for Sunday dinner but did not drink or gamble. She attended her first year of high school at Butte High. When she walked home, she walked through slag from the mines. She also learned to ski in Butte. Her second year of high school was at the Dominican Convent in San Rafael where she took ballet, manners, swimming, tennis and of course religion. The nuns were Dominican Sisters from France. Most of the girls were from divorced rich families or the diplomat corps. She learned a lot that year because of the nuns, but she was so lonesome at the convent that she moved home to Sacramento to live with her grandmother and aunt. She had been away from her parents for 2 years. Next, she moved to Salt Lake City with her parents. Many people had moved to
Salt Lake City because of the war. She took up skiing with friends and graduated from East High School and started college at the University of Utah. She quit college and got a job with the telephone company as a receptionist for two years when a girlfriend introduced her to a friend, Norman Beeman, “a blond, blue eyed, hunk of a man” with whom she fell in love.
Maryann and Norman were married in September 1946 in San Francisco at a Congregational church. After their honeymoon in Santa Cruz, they moved to Sedro-Woolley, Washington. They retired to Florence Oregon on Lake Siltcoos where they enjoyed fishing , gardening and driving on the beach. There the grandkids visited every summer.
Maryann was also an avid reader and lifelong learner, and she loved to travel. She visited England, Italy and Alaska with her husband Norman. She also traveled to Costa Rica, Panama, China, Paris, Amsterdam, Greece, Mexico and Taiwan with her children. She loved skiing, camping and especially motorcycle riding. She always wanted to buy a Harley Davidson motorcycle, but had to settle for riding behind her son on Russel’s Harley. She also loved crabbing, clamming, fishing, mushroom hunting, indoor skydiving and rafting with her kids and grandkids. Accepting Jesus as her personsl Savior, Maryann was baptized in the Lutheran Church in Thousand Oaks, CA. Maryann and Norman moved in with their son Brad and wife Becky in Lodi in 2004 and attended Vinewood Community Church and weekly Bible studies. She enjoyed dining with friends after church. Her beloved husband Norman passed away in 2007; they were married for 61 years. She later moved to Texas to live with her daughter Sara during the Covid isolation years.
Maryann and Norman had five children Russell, Bradford, David, Denise (Rinta), Sara (Swanson), and 15 grandkids, and 19 great grandkids. The yearly reunions with all the family members was one of her greatest joys.
Maryann loved to socialize and have fun; that’s what made her special and people were attracted to her adventurous and outgoing personality.
Maryann Beeman will be greatly missed by all. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday April 15 at 4:00 at Vinewood Community Church 1900 West Vine Street Lodi Ca.
Please sign the guest book at www.lodinews.com/ guestbook.