OBIT: Eileen Mae (WEAVER) BECKWITH, 2006, formerly of Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Sharon Miller Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ EILEEN MAE WEAVER BECKWITH Mrs. Eileen Mae Weaver Beckwith, 92, was born April 22, 1914, the last of 12 children to John Wesley Weaver Jr. and Alice Elizabeth Walk Weaver. She was preceded in death by her parents and 11 siblings: infant Alice, Lennie Etters, Willard, Alvah and Warner Weaver, Elsie Rodkey, Mabel Deshong, Orlando, George and Paul Weaver and Madeline Moore. She and her twin sister Madeline Gray attended Hickery Bottom School (located near Reese's Market) and Hannah schools, walking daily to and from school. She worked on the family farm at Dix where their family raised wheat and livestock. Eileen was saved in 1930 at Hannah Methodist Church and was sanctified at Stoneboro Camp in 1938. She met Clarence Beckwith at an Upper Bald Eagle Tabernacle revival service. They were married March 23, 1940 at the Pilgrim Holiness Church at Port Matilda. Clarence survives along with three daughters - Bernice Andrus (Paul) of Ringgold, GA; Shirley Trussel (John) of Mechanicsburg, PA and Mae Terpenning (Lloyd) of Cincinnati, OH; seven grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. The Beckwith's "three little girls" received instruction at home around the daily family altar, at the Bald Eagle Methodist Church, at the Bald Eagle Valley Prayer Band, and at various camp meetings during the summer. Eileen taught Sunday School at the Methodist Church, was superintendent of the Home Department and directed many Vacation Bible Schools from 1940-1972. Later she and Clarence pastored the Seven Stars God's Missionary Church from 1972-1985 where she taught children's Sunday School as well. Her Sunday School class began a church building fund, which resulted in the relocation and construction of the new church in Alexandria. Eileen had a supportive role in the founding of the Port Matilda Camp, working as cook, dining room hostess and superintendent of rooms from its inception in 1950 to 1999. She envisioned the purchase of acreage next to the camp for a parking lot and J. Byron Crouse raised the $1,200 needed to make the purchase. She was a member of the Milesburg God's Missionary Church. She loved gardening and gave a tithe of the first fruits of her labors to the local pastor and shared with neighbors and friends in the Valley. She loved her "three little girls" and served the Lord with all her soul and strength. The Beckwiths moved to an apartment in Cincinnati in the fall of 2005 to be close to family and she had been in fairly good health until her hospitalization in mid-September. She went to Heaven on Oct. 16, 2006 at 92 and-a-half years of age. The sadness of her leaving is only a moment long - because the joy of her having been with us is forever. Funeral service for Eileen Mae Beckwith will be Saturday, Oct. 21, 2006 at 11 a.m. at the Bald Eagle United Methodist Church with Reverend Alvin Shaffer of God's Missionary Church, Alexandria and Reverend Donald Roher presiding. Interment will be in Bald Eagle Cemetery with Reverend Harry Plank presiding. Friends may call at the Richard H. Searer Funeral Home, Inc. on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. Tyrone Daily Herald, October 18, 2006