Jeanne Beckman

Jeanne Beckman passed away August 2, 2019 after a long and full life. She was born in 1929 in Salem SD, to Herb and Josie Willoughby, then later moved to Howard SD where she grew up along with her sisters Joanne and Jerilyn. Jeanne met her future husband Robert Beckman while attending the University of South Dakota. They worked during their summer breaks at Mount Rushmore and The Badlands. After their marriage they moved to the Minneapolis area then to Madison in the early 1950s. Jeanne worked in many areas including waitressing at the Hoffman House, catering, owning a shoe repair shop, secretary, and sorority house mother (Madison, Iowa City, and Lawrence and Baldwin City KS). She and her husband Bob were very involved with the all male Madison Scouts Drum Corps as all five of their sons marched. She designed and sewed their flags for 15 years, traveled selling souvenirs for 10 years and was the Chairman of the Board for one year. She also spent several seasons traveling and cooking with the Santa Clara Vanguard out of California.

Jeanne was always up for travel, crisscrossing the country for many years with the drum corps, going down the Mississippi on a river boat, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Mexico numerous times for culinary adventure.

She loved being around young people and thrived on their energy. She enthusiastically fueled their ideas ""to make it happen,"" opening her home and family to young people from both Madison and across the country, changing each life in the process.
As she said many times ""the most important thing is to be there.""

Jeanne is survived by her six children, William (Barb), Eric (Peg), Scott (Michelle LeClerc), Jay (Ali), David (Marlieta) and Heidi. She has seven grandchildren, Christopher, Megan, Emily, Kelsey, Kyra, Maren and Ella, as well as six great grandchildren Felicity, Lydia, Graham, Griffin, Porter and Aspen. Also surviving is her sister Joanne (Dean) Sherman of Howard, SD.

Jeanne was preceded in death by her husband Robert, her parents and her sister Jeri. There will be a private burial at Forest Hill Cemetery. Any memorials can be made to the Madison chapter of Agrace Hospice. May you never walk alone.