OBITUARY

Southland Times, Issue 22491, 28 January 1935, Page 4

OBITUARY

MRS C. P. BECK.

(From Our Correspondent.)

There passed away at the residence of her stepson, Mr Thomas P. Beck, Gorge Road, on Saturday, January 5, another of that fast diminishing band of early settlers, ‘Mrs, Helep Ritchie Beck, at the age of 90 years. Mrs Beck, daughter of Mr Joseph Haig, an Edinburgh baker, was born in Edinburgh on 28th July, 1844, and left iii the sailing ship Viola, in April, 1866, lartding. at Port Chalmers on her 22nd birthday, and thence to Dunstan, Central Otago, to assist her sister, the late Mrs C. R. Attfield. In May, 1867, she jriarried the late Mr Edwin Campbell, and went to live at Quartz Reef, where Mr Campbell was gold mining. About three years later, after selling out their mine, they purchased the ‘Halfway House” Hotel, residing there until- Mr Campbell’s death, when Mrs Campbell left for a year’s residence m Australia. Following her return from Australia, she married Mr Canute Peterson Beck, one of the proprietors of the Manuherikia Brewery. Some six years ago she left the Otago Central district, coming to Southland, ana taking up residence with her stepson, Mr T. P. Beck, with whom she remained till her death. During her long residence in Central, she largely assisted in all matters in connection with church, charitable, or public affairs, and being of an organizing disposition, no . bazaar was complete without her assistance. Although belonging to the Anglican Church, the Catholic community considered their indebtedness to her so great, that they made her a presentation of a silver cake stand, suitably inscribed, of which she was very proud. She lived for the helping and betterment of all within her ken, and it could be truthfully said, that she was respected by all creeds and classes. Although well past the allotted span in life, she retained all her faculties till the last, and having an exceedingly retentive memory, it made her an excellent conversationalist. A service was conducted by the Rev. S. Hurd at St. Michael’s, Clyde, on Monday, January 7, at 2 o’clock, when there was a representative attendance, the funeral following at the Clyde cemetery.