Pace Funeral Home
Irene Georgina Becka
November 11, 1928 - September 24, 2017  


Irene Mapother Becka
Born: November 11, 1928
Died: September 24, 2017
Irene Georgina Mapother (Becka) was born on November 11th, 1928 in Liverpool, England to John and Marie Madeline (Herrity) Mapother. Irene’s mother died in childbirth. Finally after 88 years, they were reunited in their forever home. Irene died peacefully at Scott and White Hospital in Temple, Texas on Sunday, September 24th 2017.
Irene’s father brought his new daughter to America where he envisioned they would make a new home for themselves. Finding himself ill with tuberculosis and unable to care for her, he placed her in a Catholic orphanage, St. Andrew’s School for Girls. Upon completion of her course of study, Irene met her future husband, Richard Becka and they were wed at the Catholic Church in Cleveland, Ohio on September 4th, 1948. That momentous meeting and marriage of two kindred spirits began an amazing and wonderful journey that took them and ultimately their ten children to over ten cities in the United States and Canada before they settled in Bryan, Texas for the last lap in their journey together.
The Becka family included 10 children, two boys and eight girls. The Becka sons were Richard Paul Becka and David John Becka and the daughters were Ann Catherine Babbitt, Irene Marie Griffin, Andrea Louise McFarlin, Madeline Herrity Becka, Therese Frances Becka, Mary Elizabeth Richards, Jeanne-Marie Colleen McFarlin and Roberta Suzanne Becka. The Becka clan also includes sixteen grandchildren, ten great grandchildren and those considered blessed to be among their close friends.
Richard retired from Texas A&M University as a professor emeritus where he was a devoted Thomistic philosopher. He died on Sunday, June 24th, 2007 at his daughter’s home in Onalaska where he was laid to rest in Magnolia Cemetery. During their busy lives together, Irene was a devoted wife and mother and an extremely well-read woman in the Catholic faith. It was impossible to visit long with her and not learn of her new readings which spanned theology, philosophy and practical piety. Her religious library would put a seasoned academician to shame.
Richard, having retired from Texas A&M University in 2004 and Irene having raised her ten children they were able to enjoy some of their later years in trips to Washington State where they revisited their 280 acres of wilderness. Earlier on, Richard and the younger children remembered joyous summers in the wilderness.
Irene was not satisfied with simply reading but as she approached the end of her life, she wrote her book of memoirs titled “Are they all yours?”
As if raising a large and loving family were not enough, Irene worked for several years at the Catholic Book store just off of University Drive in College Station. Subsequently, she spent eight or so years managing the Mount Carmel Gift Shop, a ministry of the Mount Carmel Rosary Guild of St. Joseph Church in Bryan, coordinating the afternoon adoration hours at St. Joseph Church and hosting a small group of kindred souls in a prayer group at her home. Irene worked tirelessly in the local pro-life movement from its inception and prayed in front of Planned Parenthood for many years.
Preceding Irene in death are her parents, her husband and a grandson, Finis Elijah.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated for Irene at 2:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Church in Bryan Texas on Monday, October 2nd followed by a reception at the Parish Activity Center. Irene will be laid to rest next to her husband in Magnolia Cemetery in Onalaska on Tuesday, October 3rd at 2:00 p.m.
All funeral arrangements are under the care of Pace Funeral Home in Livingston, Texas. To send your online condolences, please go to www.pacefuneral.com

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Irene Georgina Becka
November 11, 1928 - September 24, 2017
 
Service Schedule
Graveside Service
Magnolia Cemetery
P.O. Box 22
Onalaska, TX  77351
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
2:00 P.M.
Map & Directions  Map & Directions
 
Burial Schedule
Magnolia Cemetery
P.O. Box 22
Onalaska, TX  77360
Map & Directions  Map & Directions

 

 

 

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Pace Funeral Home
200 FM 350 North
Livingston, TX 77351
 
Phone: 936-967-3711
Fax: 936-967-3715
 
Email:
teaton@pacefuneral.com

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