Eleanore Elizabeth Beckman's Obituary
(Residence of Oakland)
Age 91, passed away peacefully in Oakland, CA on April 11th, 2014. Lora will be deeply missed by her husband of 61 years Bill; daughter Claire Caldwell (Tim); granddaughter Jaclyn Caldwell; siblings Alma Willard and Ann Corbin; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Lisabeth.
Lora was born on November 14, 1922 in Eureka, South Dakota to Heinrich and Rosina Schnurle. The middle child of seven siblings, Lora graduated from Timberlake High School at the age of sixteen. She followed her sisters to Oakland, California where she attended Willis College of Business, then worked for General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) as a bookkeeper for nine years. In 1952 she married Bill and raised their family of two daughters. In the 1970s she turned her hobby of making ceramics into a business, selling her wonderful ceramics at craft shows and an art gallery. She volunteered at the East Bay Activity Center, Napa State Hospital, and with the LARCS.
Lora will be remembered for her generosity, strength, and wit. She was an excellent baker and her delicious coffee cakes and orange rolls graced many a family gathering. Lora also grew and shared her beautiful roses with others, thereby doing what she did best: making another person’s day a little bit brighter.
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