The Life of Edna M Beach
Edna M. "Ande" Beach, of Luther Ridge at Seiders Hill, and formerly of Orwigsburg, went with a grateful heart to her eternal rest on Sept. 2, 2019, at Schuylkill Center, Pottsville.
Born in Barnstaple, Devonshire, England, April 4, 1926, she was a daughter of the late Francis and Ellen Timson Cater.
She was a graduate of Triangle College, and attended St. Mary's School of Nursing, both in London, England.
In 1948, at 22, Ande came to New York City with the intention of seeking employment for a year or two before returning home to England.
The highlight of her working life was when she was hired by the British Travel Association. Her responsibility was to encourage travel to war scarred England, which was a challenge at that time. Some time later, she was chosen to travel throughout the U.S. as a good will ambassador for Britain and the six week tour proved to be a great success.
Soon after this, Ande's plans to return home to England changed drastically when she met the man who would become her husband, James W. Beach. He accepted a position as professor of music at Penn State University Park.
After their engagement, he moved to State College and Ande went home to visit her parents before joining him there. They were married at the Eisenhower Chapel on campus. They spent five happy years there, Jim teaching and Ande working as secretary to the assistant chaplain. From there, they moved to Madison, Wis., and while there, Jim was asked if he would consider starting a music program at Penn State Schuylkill. They moved here in 1967, thinking they would stay for about a year, but they never left.
In addition to her parents, Ande was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jim, on Jan. 7, 2008.
She is survived by several cousins and an abundance of friends who meant the world to her. She spoke many times of her gratitude for them, some of whom were like her family and she marveled at the loyalty of their "kids" (Jim's former students from as far back as the '50s who continued to love and care for her as they had for Jim.)
She was a member of First United Methodist Church, Pottsville, and until moving to Luther Ridge, was a member of OWLS (Orwigsburg Women's League).
There will be a memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at First United Methodist Church, 330 W. Market St., Pottsville, with the Rev. John C. Wallace officiating. Friends may gather at 10 a.m. until the time of service. Burial is private. In lieu of flowers, it was Ande's wish that any remembrances that friends might wish to give, should be sent to one of the following, all of them dear to her heart: Penn State University, Attn: James W. and Edna M. Beach Scholarship Fund, PSU, 200 University Drive, Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972; Penn State University, Attn: James W. Beach Endowment Fund, College of Arts and Architecture, 124 Borland Building, University Park, PA 16812; First U.M. Church, 330 W. Market St., Pottsville, PA 17901.