Cecile Church was born to Merle Leroy Church (Michigan) and Marie Roselee Dorak (Czech Republic) at home on December 3rd or 4th, 1925. As the story goes, the doctor had a couple drinks earlier that day and entered the date of the 3rd, which was on all of her IDs but Cecile's mom claimed December 4th as her birthday. As a result, we were able to celebrate her birth two days each year.
Cecile got to know the West well, as she was on the move constantly. She went to school in Denver, Colorado; Santa Cruz, California; and Snowflake, Arizona. She recalled fondly the memories of Santa Cruz where she walked in the forest and played in the tide pools with her brother, Pat. She loved the beauty and her Uncle Charley Fitzsimmons who had invested in the Boardwalk and enterprises in the city.
It was in Show Low where her father returned after serving in WWI, bought property and built a garage and a filling station on State Highway 60. There she met and married James Foch Petersen of Pinedale, Arizona. She followed him when he joined the Army. He became an airplane mechanic and she became a supply secretary. Cecile was always known for her preciseness, math skills and her beautiful handwriting. She and Foch moved to the Verde Valley, Prescott, Snowflake and Mesa as they raised their five children, four girls and a boy. She loved Prescott and often recalled fondly the memories of the people and her lovely home. Their marriage ended in 1964 and Cecile started her new life in Fort Collins. She worked in a doctor's office and at the college during this time.
On June 11th, 1967, Cecile was married to Lewis Beil in Hinsdale, Montana. There she enjoyed the ranch lifestyle. She and Lewis also had a boy together. She was active in the community with the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Eastern Star, and with Lewis in the Elks and Shrine. She and Lewis semi-retired to Arizona in the early 1990’s and lived in Wickenburg, Surprise, and Sun City West. After Lewis passed away in 2009, she moved to Sacramento, California. In 2017, she moved to Reno, Nevada.
Cecile Beil passed away on June 15th, 2019 at the age of 93 in Reno, Nevada. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Pat, both husbands, her daughter Paula, granddaughter Kimberly Dawn Petersen, granddaughter Riesha Lyn Baughman, and great granddaughter Andee M’Lee Stevens. She is survived by her children: Sonja, Dan, Anna Marie, Lynette, and Jim; 27 grandchildren; 73 great-grandchildren; and 4 great-great grandchildren.
She is to be laid to rest on June 24th at Green Acres Mortuary, 401 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85257 with visitation to start at 1 pm, funeral at 2 pm, and burial at 3 pm. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.greenacresmortuary.net for the Beil family.
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