Erna Rose (Karle) Beck

Erna Rosa Beck, 86, of Ridge Road, Orwigsburg, passed away at Seton Manor Nursing Home on May 30, 2022.

Born on April 30, 1936, in Freiburg, Germany, she was the daughter of the late Elsa (Disch) Karle and Otto Karle. She was one of eight children.

She was married (66 years) & preceded in death by her loving husband, Erwin O. Beck (Jan 2022). Also preceding her in death were two brothers and three sisters - all of Germany.

She was a member of St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church in Schuylkill Haven.

In addition to being a devoted housewife and retired bookkeeper, Erna was the matriarch and the light of her family. Erna leaves behind many special memories of great love and joy for those whom she had touched throughout her life. She had the ability to make others feel welcome and appreciated and could easily strike up a conversation with nearly anyone.

Surviving her are three children - a daughter, Sabine Fidler (husband David of Orwigsburg), a son, Derek Beck (wife Bonnie of Pottsville), and a daughter, Suzanne Dubbs (husband Kenneth of Pine Grove); five beautiful grandchildren - Matthew Liptak (fiancé Andrea), Jocelyn Oakill (husband Jordan); Erik, Gabi and Alex Dubbs; two precious great-grandchildren -Caden and Corrie Oakill; sisters - Helge Schneider (Germany) & Gertrude Vicedomini (Italy); nieces and nephews.

Known to her family as "Mutti" and "Oma," she loved her children and grandchildren dearly, spending quality time teaching them German, sharing stories & creating fond memories, building character, and passing-on traditions & recipes. Erna was a remarkable cook of authentic German food. She enjoyed preparing favorites such as spaetzle, sauerbraten, schnitzel, linzer torte, and apfelkuchen for her family.

Educated in Germany, Erna was a homemaker, bookkeeper, and payroll clerk. During the Reconstruction Years following WWII, she followed her late husband and immigrated to Canada in 1956 before making Orwigsburg, PA, her permanent residence in 1974. Erna enjoyed cognitive skill games and competitive card and board games following retirement. She was a dedicated enthusiast of the card game bridge, becoming a Master Duplicate Bridge Champion.

Services will be held privately at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, remembrances are requested in the form of contributions to CARE – Fighting World Hunger and Poverty or the Make-A-Wish Foundation.