Lowell Oscar Beck, 86, Clearwater

April 21, 1936 - April 12, 2023

Lowell Oscar Beck loved his Lord, his wife and extended family, fileting “sunnies” on the dock, and watching his athletes excel.

Lowell passed away April 12, 2023, at St. Cloud Hospital. He was 86.

Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Sauk Rapids, Minnesota.

Born on April 21, 1936, in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, Lowell was the son of Rev. John and Gloria (Berwald) Beck. He was born in the family home and baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church. When Lowell was four, the family moved to Fairhaven, Minnesota, where he enjoyed playing basketball, fishing, and splashing around in the town’s mill pond. Lowell attended Concordia Academy and College, St. Paul, Minnesota, for high school and two years of college. While there, he was active in basketball, football, student council, glee club, and sang as a member of the “Collegiates,” a quartet that toured nine states in the summer of 1955. Lowell went on to attend Concordia Senior College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Concordia College in Seward, Nebraska; and St. Francis College in Ft. Wayne, earning Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in education.

Lowell was united in holy marriage to Maxine Schneewind on August 1, 1959 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Young America, Minnesota. He taught at Emmaus Lutheran School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and coached football, basketball, track, and wrestling. He led state- and city-championship swim teams at the Southeast Family YMCA and Pocahontas Swim Clubs. After 40 years in Fort Wayne, Lowell and Maxine moved back to Minnesota for their retirement, making a home in Clearwater. Lowell enjoyed bowling, golfing, coin collecting, the Gophers and Twins, traveling, relaxing at the cabin, and tending to the best front lawn for miles. He also was an active volunteer at his church and in the community, serving in choirs, as an usher, greeter, reader, and Bible class leader, on the Prince of Peace School Board, NCAA Final Four 2001 Welcoming Committee, at the PGA Championship at Hazeltine in 2002, and delivered Meals on Wheels for 15 years.

Most of all Lowell cherished time with his family—especially his seven grandchildren. He attended as many sporting events, concerts, and activities as possible. And he and Maxine created “Camp Grand Pa-Ma,” a summer camp for the grandkids filled with fun, laughter, songs, and praise to their Savior. That’s because Lowell’s sole desire was to leave a legacy of faith in Jesus to his family and to all who knew him, that all would receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus, our Savior.

Lowell is survived by his wife of 64 years, Maxine Beck of Clearwater; children, Lori Beck of Plymouth, Thomas Beck of Indianapolis, Jody (Erik) Preus of Maple Grove, Kelly (John) Daenzer of Minneapolis; grandchildren, Solveig Preus (Michael Postetter, fiancé), Anneliese (Andrew) Stavig, Isak (Mikayla) Preus, Kari Preus, Rolf Preus, Mark Daenzer, and Luke Daenzer; Siblings, Dr. William Beck, Rosemary Dietrich, Walter Beck, Rev. John Beck, and Gloria Becker. He was preceded in death by his parents, and sisters Johanna Muehring and Glorianna Dubbe.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Prince of Peace Lutheran School, St. Cloud, or the Lutheran school of the donor’s choice.