Beatrice Dorothea Anita Link Pankratz was born in Camrose, Alberta, Canada on February 4, 1924. She moved to Covenant Living at Mount Miguel (San Diego) 6 years ago, where she began experiencing what we call her 4th life!

Her first life was spent in Canada, with very humble beginnings growing up on a farm during the Depression. It was here that she became a believer at age eight and received Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She went to a one room schoolhouse and rode her horse to school, even in the snow. Bea won the 4H blue ribbon for her calf at the county fair, was goalie on the hockey team, and champion high jumper for the province of Alberta in 1936.

She had 5 older brothers, so you would think she was treated like a princess, but she was expected to work like everyone else, and in reality, had to work like a man from the time she was twelve. When her brothers went off to war, she helped her father run the whole farm. Life wasn't easy. Seven years of crop failure, her father died when she was 18, her brother was killed as a fighter pilot over France when she was 19, and her mother died the day after she turned 21. Three months later she had her first baby all alone, as her husband Herbert Raymond Pankratz was overseas during the war and was deployed when she was four months along. They were married on February 12, 1944, during WWII. He was stationed in Europe for a year and a half, and they wrote love letters back and forth, which we still have in 6 shoeboxes! They clung to those letters! After the war, they moved to Herbert's hometown, Chicago. Beatrice thought that after all that loss and hardship she had struck it rich, marrying an American and moving to the big city. Not quite!

This began her 2nd life. Love had to carry them through, because at the beginning there wasn't much in the way of finances, but they managed to buy a house where they raised their 4 children: Raye, Daniel, Anita and Shirley. Her husband and children were everything to her. Things eased up after Herbert finished his doctorate, earning his PhD in Music History. He was a music and humanities professor at Wright Jr. College and then North Park College and was the organist and choir director at their home church for 42 years. Beatrice played the piano and sang, so their lives meshed together very well. As it turned out, all their children are musicians. We grew up singing and playing together and performing as a family
and our church was the center. She was Sunday School Superintendent, PTA president, youth sponsor, and a wonderful hostess. Beatrice directed a 250 voice Illinois Parent Teacher Chorus for several years, as well as a 75 voice Minister's Wives Chorus at a Triennial with delegates from the US and Canada. She sold books for Scholastic Book Company and then the World Book Corporation, eventually becoming a Division Manager. She was very successful, winning many awards for her outstanding salesmanship, and it allowed them to travel the world – 28 countries in all, including visiting several missionaries.When Herbert retired, they moved to Pompano Beach, Florida in December 1987, where Beatrice began her 3rd life. Their condominium overlooked the Atlantic Ocean from an 8th floor balcony - the whole family loved it!! They enjoyed retirement, remaining active in music at their church and even singing in the Florida Philharmonic Chorus. Herbert passed away in 2008 and Beatrice continued living there for 5 more years before moving to Mount Miguel in San Diego.

The Lord peacefully called her home on October 17, 2019. If there were ever 2 people who loved each other, it was Herb and Bea. Their relationship was a wonderful example of faithfulness and devotion.

Beatrice had 4 children: Raye Pankratz (Mary Ellen, deceased), Daniel Pankratz (Linda), Anita Pankratz White (Jim, deceased), and Shirley Pankratz Ward (Dan), 5 grandchildren: Nathan Pankratz (Ezgi), Annemarie Sagoi, Peter Ward (Kristen), Brian Ward (Maria), and David Ward (Bethany), and 11 great grandchildren.

A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 29 at 2:00 p.m. at College Church in Wheaton.

The family (all musicians) will be presenting a concert of praise, plus remembrances. Music begins at 1:45 PM.