BECKHAM, MARIE ELIZABETH HANCOCK (1909~1996)
Marie Elizabeth Hancock (Beckham) was born in Denison, Texas at 611 West Morgan Street on Nov. 19, 1909. She grew to womanhood the same city, and was living about a block East 516 West Morgan St., when she married her husband, Vernon Finis Beckham, a government employee, of the same city Oct. 30, 1937. They met in 1932 while students at Denison's Draughons Business College. They got together as sweethearts in Nov. 1934 and dated at intervals throughout the depression days. Marie became a secretary for the C.J. Corcoran Insurance & Real Estate Agency in Denison and made her mark in this profession, prior to taking over the management of being a homemaker and a mother to a lovely daughter, and assisting and helping in every way to see that her husband furthered his education and to reach further goals in life. The two together built a new house at 1125 West Hull St., the first one in a new addition, which is now a large settlement. They sold after nine years and entered the apartment house rental business at 504 W. Owings St. and after eighteen years of this business, they disposed of the apartment house to give more time to her husband's general insurance business at 112 S. Rusk Ave. and to enter public political life for ten years in 1962 through 1972. Her husband made five races for State Representative from Grayson County and through the efforts of both and loyal friends, he was never defeated and retired from office, taking early retirement at his will and pleasure. As a loyal wife and helpmate, Marie took her place to campaign, to act as host, and to journey to Austin, comfort her husband, join in with all social functions with the legislator's wives and government officials and constituents from back home who came to Austin on official business. She rejoices and looks back on the many accomplishments during her husband's administration, such as being instrumental in securing $600,000.00 appropriations to improve Eisenhower State Park, to pilot the approval of the State Board of Education in Austin, granting authority for the Citizens of Grayson County to hold an election for a Junior College and to vote bonds for construction. This became a 5 to 4 decision in favor, otherwise no college would have been authorized. Approval through legislation for a Sub-County Office Building, and the replacement and transfer of Grayson County from the Wichita Falls storm zone back into the Dallas-Fort Worth Area, to reduce windstorm and hail insurance premiums to one half the previous rate, along with many other accomplishments that space will not permit. Being a mother to a lovely, sweet daughter, civic work, a campfire leader, a history buff in recordation of history through scrap-books, and being a helpful and loving wife of forty-three years, and seeing a husband through with the trials and tribulations both in business and political office, fulfilling the needs and growth demands of a prosperous Grayson County brings great pleasure of a fulfilling life, that our mission is not just for self, but for others and their welfare in each of our own little worlds. Excerpted from an article written by Marie Beckham for the History of Grayson County Texas, Vol. II |
Follow Us