Barbara Beck Keiber, born June 8, 1931, in Los Angeles, Calif., let go her earthly bonds on Sept. 16, 2012, in Coeur d’Alene. With sadness in our hearts, but strong in the faith that she returned to Paradise to rejoin many family members who have gone on before her, our mother is now in the spiritual company of her beloved parents, the late Charles Montell and Florice Bell Halberg, late husbands, Henry Keith Beck and Robert Leonard Keiber, and late brother, Monte Clive Halberg.

Except for those of us who addressed her as “Mom” or “Grandma,” she was fondly known to all others as “Bobbie.” Her laugh was easy and frequent, her gifts to others, generous. In my brother’s words, “Mom was pretty cool.” We continue to miss her infectious smile, her expressive blue eyes and her loving spirit that embraced us all.

The second of four children, Mom grew up in a home of faith and harmony, where love, respect and service were the rule. She enjoyed the camaraderie and fellowship of extended family members, developing and nurturing close ties with her aunts, uncles and cousins at a very early age.

Our Mom met our Dad, Keith Beck, at an LDS church dance in 1954. Their relationship bloomed and they first married in 1956 in Mexico City, Mexico, then again in 1957, in Las Vegas, Nev., to ensure their marriage was “legal.” She joined Keith in the running of the “family business,” a lumber yard and hardware store in Carson, Calif. Three children were born of this union: Kimberlee, Steven and Kevin. In early 1975, our parents were married and sealed to each other in the Los Angeles Mormon Temple. We three children were sealed to our parents at the same time. Sadly, our Dad, Keith, passed away the summer of that same year.

When Mom’s grieving was complete, she found love again in 1977 and in 1979, she married Robert Keiber, (an employee of our Dad’s for many years), in Las Vegas. She and “Bob” were together almost 25 years until his passing in 2004.

In life, Mom held other titles beside “wife” and “mother.” She was also a volunteer chaperone with the Girl Scouts, a PTA president at her children’s elementary school, and a counselor with the Stake Relief Society at our church when we were growing up.

She loved to read, was an excellent seamstress and greatly enjoyed hosting gatherings for holidays and special events. She was at her happiest when surrounded by family and friends. She dearly loved the music of Neil Diamond, the color, purple, Mrs. Fields cookies and Baskin-Robbins ice cream.

Mom was quite the fearless and adventurous “traveler” and saw much of the world, beginning with family summer vacations to points of interest in California, then on longer excursions in our motor home across the United States up to Nova Scotia, Canada, and up to Alaska. She loved going on cruises and visited sites in Mexico, the Bahamas and through the Panama Canal. She visited New England in the fall, “jumped the pond” to travel to England and France, and attended many family reunions at the Kern River in Central California. But by far, her absolute favorite destination in the entire world, was the Hawaiian Islands. She would have lived there, if she could, as she felt it was the closest place to Heaven she could get to, while still alive. In the end, however, a final trip to Coeur d’Alene was planned and it was here, in the company of her daughter and son-in-law, where she lived out the remainder of her days, as she wanted.

Mom taught by example, had a true gift of listening, was never negative or judgmental, but always supportive of her family member’s ambitions and goals. She never “kept score,” and loved each of her family differently and uniquely. She took pride in her children and grandchildren, as well as in her abilities as a “handy-woman,” taking great pleasure in swinging a hammer or wielding a paint brush, never afraid of getting dirty.

She continues to be deeply missed by her daughter and son-in-law, Kimberlee (Beck) and George Ciccone of Coeur d’Alene; son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Vicki Beck of Fairfax, Calif.; and son and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Sheila Beck of Folsom, Calif. She is affectionately remembered by her grandchildren, Jessie Beck, Ren Beck, Marilyn Beck and Shelby Beck. Missing her, as well, her younger brother, Greg Halberg; sister and brother-in-law, Lynne and Ray DeSpain; and many nieces and nephews. She was a native Californian and a longtime resident of the South Bay, Carson, in particular.

Family and friends attended a private memorial service on Sept. 22, 2012, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Pedro, Calif. Internment followed at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., and an exceptional and wonderful gathering of family and friends was held thereafter.