Despite being so tiny in stature, DeEtta Beason was the light that filled every room she entered. Her joy was magnetic, her laughter and smile drew friends, family, and strangers to her wherever she went. And even in her final days, the spirit, gratitude, and love she shared served as a powerful example to anyone who enjoyed just a few minutes within her gravity.
Born October 16, 1924, to Frank and Murrel (Sanford) Mickalek of Toledo, Iowa, DeEtta was an only child who grew up during the Great Depression and witnessed the beginnings of World War II before she'd finished graduating from Toledo High School.
DeEtta was determined to leave the cold weather behind and moved to California, where she was hired by United Airlines. There, she met and married Jim Mitchell and in 1946, the two welcomed their daughter, Lynn Marie. In 1952, DeEtta married her second husband, Norman Beason. The following year the couple welcomed Heather Ann into their family of four. DeEtta loved being a stay-at-home mother and took great pride in her daughters’ lives.
Life presented DeEtta with many challenges, including battling cancer and witnessing her husband leave his family—all while in her 70s. She bravely left Palm Desert, California, and made a new home in Mesa, Arizona to be near her daughters. DeEtta loved and feared God and never shied away from a struggle or lost her radiant spirit. She sustained hope during bouts of anxiety and fear and remained fiercely, deliberately independent well into her 90s. She kept her mind sharp with regular games of golf and bridge, knitting and crocheting, and she opened her home and heart to John Henry, a feisty pup who was always by her side.
DeEtta loved spending the last 25 years of her life in Arizona and enjoyed watching her grandchildren mature into adults and her great-grandchildren spring to life. She leaves behind a family that is stronger for having experienced her love. DeEtta is survived by her daughters Lynn Befort and Heather Kitchen, her five grandchildren, Alice Baker, Ben Williams, Ryan Kitchen, Courtney Altamirano, and Matthew Kitchen, and her six great-grandchildren, Jacob, Kaitlyn, Meredith, Emmalyn, Everett, and Graham. She loved her two sons-in-law, Tom Befort and Craig Kitchen, who she relied upon for so much and appreciated every moment with.
A graveside service will be held in the Veteran’s section at Valley of the Sun Cemetery in Chandler, Arizona on June 4, 2021, at 10:00 am. Hospice of the Valley Pastor Ken Collins will officiate the ceremony. Everyone is invited to join DeEtta’s family at Heather’s home in Chandler following the service.
A memorial fund is established with Hospice of the Valley in DeEtta Beason’s name.
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