Locals in the Limelight

I have always loved going over to the home of Warren and Audrey Beck; so does my brother who used to be study buddies with their daughter in college. He will make it a point to go see them when he is in town; they are warm and welcoming.

Of course, they had me in stitches during our interview and I kept telling them, "I can't print that!" Whether there is fabric all over the living room being cut out for an upcoming craft show, or grandkids coming through the door, there is never a dull moment.

Warren was born to Bill and Dorothy Heimbigner Beck in his grandmother's house behind Birge's Garage on September 25, 1937. Warren had one sister 15 years younger, who now resides in Arizona. Growing up in Odessa, Warren worked for local farmers driving tractors and wheat trucks. He loved to hunt, fish, camp and eventually trap shoot with his father-in-law. They would have prizes of bacon or ham, and Audrey always knew she could cross that off the grocery list, as the guys would always come home from the competitions with two or three.

He grew up and graduated in Odessa and was drafted into the Army in 1960. Earning a bronze, silver and gold medal for safe driving, he was responsible for delivery of food, ammo and clothing. During his military stint, he met Jerry Lewis in Germany and also met Minnie Pearl, who bought him a drink. He was discharged as an E3 PFC.

Audrey is the daughter of Alvin and Anna (Hester) Kramer and was born April 1, 1944. Her brother Delmer (now deceased) was a police officer in Moses Lake. Her sister Leona Kramer, who is nine years older, lives in Spokane Valley. Audrey grew up in Marlin; her Dad owned the Marlin Garage. She dropped out of high school to get married her junior year and moved to California for three years. They had a daughter, Alice, and when Alice was 18 months old Audrey returned home and got divorced. She started working at Smith's Café and went back to school to obtain her GED.

It was at Smith's Café where she would meet Warren. She was fresh out of a bad marriage and said that getting into another relationship was the last thing on her mind. "I didn't want to train another one," she laughed. He persisted, and her daughter (whom he later adopted), was calling him "Daddy" almost immediately. About a year later, in 1966, they married, and Audrey said, "It was the best thing I ever did." Yes, Warren is one of those devoted husbands, an absolute gem of a guy who even goes fabric shopping with his wife. And if you look at his stature, I don't think there is a man out there bold enough to tease him about it.

Warren and Audrey settled into their first house -- a rental -- where Jim Haines now lives. They have always been a playful couple, teasing and pranking one another. One day, she was bending over filling up the kiddie pool outside and he pushed her in with his foot. Not to be outdone, she snuck a garden hose down his pants while he was in a conversation with someone a few days later.

In 1969, she gave birth to identical twin girls, Joyce and Janice. They were premature and, sadly, Janice only survived 21 hours. Audrey explained how she has always had a strong foreboding of events before they occur. "I knew before they were born that one of my twins wasn't coming home with me." Joyce, the surviving twin, lost several ounces of birth weight after her twin died and was in the hospital for 15 days. After they returned home, Warren slept with her on his chest for five days to keep her warm. Three years later, their daughter Leona was born, joining Joyce and Alice.

After the girls were born, the family loved to camp and spend time together. Friday nights were Warren's night out with the guys. On the weekends, the family usually headed to Marlin to Audrey's parents' home. When the girls were young, they expressed little interest in a trip to Disneyland and chose to spend a week at Swan Lake with their grandparents instead. For 14 years, Warren and Audrey followed Grandma and Grandpa Wraspir's band and helped with the Crab Creek Trio (Neals and Kirsteins).

Over the years, Warren worked for the Odessa Union and Bill Wenz and retired in 1999 from the Odessa Trading Company after 33 years. He loved to play golf with his buddies and do woodworking, which he hasn't been able to do lately due to health problems. Warren loves John Wayne and, in fact, has "The Duke" memorabilia hanging all over their master bedroom walls. I saw it for myself. Audrey takesit in stride. His favorite movies are "True Grit" and "The Searchers." Apparently, John Wayne made about 140 movies. Audrey and Warren were able to come up with 84 titles one time in a family competition.

Audrey explained that she has had "lots of jobs" in Odessa. As a teen she babysat and was a housekeeper. She bartended and cooked at Smith's Café. She worked at the school district as head cook for 12 years. She and Bonnie Burroughs were known as "Bonnie the burner" and "Audrey the arsonist," she recalled, as they would smoke the place out making grilled cheese sandwiches. One of her favorite memories was a little boy who came up to the counter on fried chicken day asking for "a hand and a foot, please." I laughed and asked her what she gave him. "A wing and a drumstick, of course!" Audrey

also spent eight years as a volunteer activity leader for the Odessa Junior Livestock 4-H Club. She organized Christmas Fest, taking it from 23 tables to 52 tables by her second year, and introducing the music program. She still helps out when she can but said that after suffering a stroke eight years ago, it has slowed her down somewhat.

To most of us in town, Audrey is especially well-known for her sewing skills. She embroiders and knits as well. Her mother was a seamstress, and she has sewn her whole life, starting out on a treadle machine. Audrey had a sewing business for years and still does some limited projects (hemming, zippers) but no more altering. She made clothes for her family and her girls' bridal dresses. The one for Leona had 48,000 pearls which she painstakingly hand-beaded into the gown. She recalled a funny story when they would go to bridal shops to get ideas for dresses. Warren the jokester was accompanying them and decided to take it upon himself to chide the other brides at the store. Apparently, he was telling them they should elope instead, or even better: it wasn't too late to back out.

Audrey's hand-sewn treasures and custom doll clothes are displayed and sold at bazaars and festivals. She is well known and her inventory depletes quickly. This past August she entered 20 items in the sewing category at the Lincoln County Fair. She came home with 20 first-place ribbons, two best-in-show awards and a Commissioner's Award.

The family is intertwined and extremely involved in their children's and grandchildren's lives. Daughter Alice obtained her master's degree. She and husband Steve Lewis work in the Tri-Cities. Joyce lives in Odessa and is married to Joe McNeil. She is the secretary/bookkeeper for the family business, J & J Enterprises, which raises cattle, pigs and chickens. Their grandchildren Keisha and Caleb are very responsible and involved, taking care of the family animals and those of others in town as well. Joe is the manager of North Basin Seed as well as other sideline businesses. "He is on call 24/7," said Audrey, explaining what a hard worker he is. He leaves and comes home in the dark, sometimes as early as 2:30 a.m. "He is my go-to guy, I can rely on him for help with anything," Audrey told me.

Leona, who works at Leffel, Otis & Warwick in Davenport, is married to Don Mooney and they live in Harrington. Don works in the parts department at the Odessa Trading Company in Odessa. Audrey described their nine-year-old son Eric as a real character, so smart and logical it is scary. He is "all camo," she described, as he loves to hunt and fish, and even makes his own bow and arrows. He has made instructional videos. Apparently, he wrote five stories, complete with illustrations, sold the mini books and donated 10% of his earnings to Cat Tails in Spokane. One time, he stopped by her sewing booth shortly after she had set up and told her, "Grandma, I wish I could just buy you out." When asked why, he informed her, "because then we could go home and just visit."

Audrey and Warren can't say enough about their sons-in-law, wondering how they got so lucky. They all share common traits: loyal, good fathers, hard workers, good providers. "I don't consider them my sons-in-law, they are all my sons," she informed me. They expressed how wonderful it is not having to worry about their daughters. All their needs are taken care of – financially, physically and emotionally.

Married 48 years, Warren and Audrey have built a joyful life around their kids, grandkids, family activities and their beloved dogs. They love the outdoors, especially camping. Warren and Audrey savor life's moments, and they love to sit on the porch, especially in the evenings. Long ago they made a decision that since Audrey is related to one half of the town and Warren the other half, either they could talk about no one or everyone. They agreed that it was much more fun to open it up. Audrey says she would live anywhere with Warren by her side...oh, and a little hobby shop. She admires her husband, especially how he never complains about the time and money that her sewing has commanded. He spoke up, which immediately got my attention, informing me that the words "Yes, dear," go a long way.