Community Matters

“Community Matters.” This was a favorite phrase of Marcia Morris Beck, who died March 4 at the age of 74 after a lifetime of service to the Faribault community.

Marcia Morris grew up in Des Moines, Iowa but when she and her husband, Ken Beck, moved to Faribault in 1984 they quickly made Faribault their hometown. She became a fixture in local theater, whether she was teaching and directing at Bethlehem Academy, acting in the plays produced by the Paradise Center (now FACT), or assisting in costume design, props, or behind the scenes. She was known for the theatrical flair she brought to any activity.

Ken realized his lifetime dream when the couple opened JavaLive, a coffeehouse in a historic Central Avenue storefront in the early 2000’s. While Ken focused on the Java and treats, Marcia worked to make it Live– creating a welcoming, energetic hub, complete with a soundstage and musical performances. For years JavaLive was a gathering place for people of all ages.

Throughout her life, Marcia continued to work in community nonprofits serving as the United Way executive director for several years. She worked for and volunteered with many community serving organizations throughout her life.

When faced with a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease, she worked with trusted advisors to arrange for her long-term care. She considered what would happen if she ran out of money before she ran out of life, and she also determined what would happen if she died before depleting her assets. She believed all her life that “community matters” so she named the community as her beneficiary too. After she died her assets were gifted as she had arranged, resulting in the largest recorded gift from one individual to the Rice County United Way. There was an equally generous donation to the Faribault Foundation that was allocated to the Women Who Care Endowment, the Founders Fund and other community funds including the Paradise Center for the Arts. She wasn’t wealthy, by any definition, but she gave back to the community she loved through her life and even after her death.

When you are making your end-of-life plans, please consider your community. The community that you lived in, volunteered in, made your living in. Community matters! You can add the community to your beneficiaries and support the organizations that make our community matter.

Set up an appointment with Laura Bock to discuss how you can make plans that work for you and your family. To learn more about our family of funds and the foresight of our friends and neighbors who have left a legacy, visit faribaultfoundation.org

Sarah Beckmann serves on the Faribault Foundation Board of Directors

Kymn Anderson serves on the Faribault Foundation Women Who Care Endowment committee. Sarah and Kymn collaborated for this piece on community giving and estate planning.