June Elaine Beck

1921 – 2022

FALMOUTH June Elaine (Andersen) Beck, 101, of Falmouth, passed away on December 2, 2022.

June was born to Niels and Gladys Andersen on September 6, 1921 on the family farm in the Woodville area of West Falmouth. She was the youngest of three daughters. She and her sisters spent their childhood years on the family farm doing farm chores, going to the weekly farm market and exploring the woods and fields of Falmouth.

To quote June regarding these early years, “To have a happy childhood, a very short span of one’s life, is most fortunate for those lucky enough to experience it. I did. Yes, I smelled the daisies”. And, not surprisingly, daises were June’s favorite flower throughout her life.

In 1944 June enlisted in the Navy Waves to “do the work so the boys could go fight”. During this time, she met the man who would become her husband, George M. Beck of Portland, at a USO dance. During their enlistment they would meet at USO dances and at one George proposed to June. June told George she had to “think about it”. Having returned to her posting, she realized that she did not need to think and sent a letter to George with the single word “Yes”. Two weeks later a package arrived from George containing her ring and they were married on June 15, 1946 and proceeded to raise their family.

June and George lived in the Redbank area of South Portland where their two sons, George and Gary, were born. They then moved to North Deering in Portland and, finally, years later, June returned to Falmouth, building a home on family land containing “Cherry Pond” which she had cherished since her childhood.

June and George worked diligently through the years to support their family, sometimes working multiple jobs and frequently at different times so that “someone would be home to watch the kids”. George held many jobs during his life, ending as a carpenter. June worked for multiple employers as well and ended as one of the first staff hires for the law firm of Curtis Thaxter LLC. It is hard to know which of the partners she worked for were her favorites, but two would definitely be Ken Curtis and Walter Corey. June retired twice from Curtis Thaxter and received a retirement party both times.

Through the years, the family enjoyed skiing, going to the beach, and exploring the woods and fields. With George’s passing in 1978, June filled her days picking berries, cross-country skiing with her dog Nikki, writing poems, photographing just about everything, and spending time with a close circle of friends.

That all (happily) changed when her first grandchild, Maxwell, arrived. He was the love of her life. Two years later, she was blessed again, with her red-haired angel, granddaughter Samantha. June was living her dream. From that point forward, Grammy was ever present in the lives of her grandchildren and their friends as they grew older. She was after-school child care, adventure director at Kettle Cove, farm animal guide at Smiling Hill Farm, teacher and sometime confidante. They were her constant photography subjects to the point where she was told one day “Grammy, no more pickers”. Grammy changed their lives and they changed hers.

June was predeceased by her husband George and sisters Margery and Virginia. She is survived by: her first son George Beck and his wife Susan of Weaverville, North Carolina, second son Gary Beck and his wife Cindy, their two children Maxwell and Samantha and their respective spouses Amanda and Benjamin all of Falmouth, her niece Nancy Soule of Concord Township, her niece Dottie Googins of Gray and her niece Edith McCormick of Portland.

Visitation will be held at Jones, Rich and Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St, Portland, from 1pm - 3pm on Saturday December 17. A funeral service will follow from 3pm - 4pm. Online condolences may be expressed at www.jonesrichandbarnes.com

In lieu of flowers, if you wish, donations may be made to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, 217 Landing Rd, Westbrook, ME 04092.