Some Songs from 1969

Paula Willett

Paula Willett, 73, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 8, 2025, with her loving husband Jim by her side after a courageous and at times miraculous struggle with pancreatic cancer. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories. The visitation will begin one hour prior to service, starting at 10:00 AM, at the chapel. A reception will follow at the Cedar Memorial Family Center.

Paula loved her friends and family, was a talented and prolific quilter, and found joy in gardening, baking, and traveling. She was a devoted and passionate Christian, who loved reading, writing, and sharing in her faith with others.

Born on March 26, 1951, in Carroll, Iowa, Paula was the daughter of Harold H. Beck and Alice A. Musfeldt. She was baptized in 1951 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lincoln Township, Audubon County. She grew up in a farming family in the Manning area, graduating from Manning High School with the class of 1969. She married Jim Willett of Tama, Iowa, in 1971, and went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mount Mercy College in 1977. Paula worked as an RN at Mercy Hospital until 1979, at which point she took time to have and raise her two sons. In 1989, she returned to nursing, working as a traveling nurse and part-time in birth care at St. Luke’s Hospital until 2012.

Paula is survived by her husband of 54 years, Jim Willett; her sons, Matthew Willett (with wife Carole) and Jacob Willett; her grandson Evan Willett; her sisters, Judith Kelly and Marsha Beck; and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her siblings Russell Beck, Robert Beck, Dennis Beck, and Christine Lettow.

The family would like to extend their thanks to the staff of PCI Oncology, St Luke's Unity Point Hospital, and Unity Point Hospice@Home for assistance in her care.

https://www.cedarmemorial.com/Obituary/2025/Mar/Paula-Willett

Chris Beck & Tom Wurr 1972

Bob Beck - Manning Fire Department

Bob Beck 1978 Manning VFW Commander

Dennis Beck MHS 1970

Harold Beck WWII

Marsha Beck MHS 1978

Paula Beck MHS 1969

Brian Beck, Katie Beck, Steph Beck - children of Bob & Jennifer (Zerwas) Beck

2006 Manning Quasquicentennial history book
Harold, son of Carl and Bertha (Rudnick) Beck, was born in Audubon, County in 1918. He attended parochial school at Trinity Lutheran Church and graduated from Gray High School. He entered the service in 1942 and was released in 1945.
Alice, daughter of Fred and Emma (Ruge) Musfeldt, was born in 1924 and graduated from Manning High School in 1941. She taught country school for 2 years, then entered the Army Cadet Nurse Corps in 1944. When Harold returned from service, Alice dropped her schooling and they were married in 1945.
They farmed in Audubon County for 8 years, moved to a farm near the 5-mile house for 13 years and then moved to the Otto Popp farm near Manning where they lived until 1978. While living on the Popp farm, Alice continued her education at DMAAC in Carroll and obtained her license as a Practical Nurse.
They then moved to California where they lived 19 1/2 years managing apartments. While living there, Harold would often go to Monterey and go deep-sea fishing.
He and Alice also were privileged in joining their families on trips to Germany, China, Hawaii and Alaska. They also ventured out in the U.S. to places such as New York, Florida, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Tennessee, to name a few.
Harold and Alice returned to the Midwest to reside in Omaha in 1997. In 1998 Harold passed away and Alice continues to live in Omaha.
The couple had 7 children: Judy, Fresno, California; Robert and his wife Jennifer (Zerwas), Omaha; Paula and her husband Jim Willett, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Chrissie and her husband Kris Lettow, Arvada, Colorado; Marsha, Golden, Colorado; Dennis, died in an auto accident and Russell who died at birth.
They have 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.
Alice commented: "It's been a great journey - Our thanks to our Lord for letting it be!"

1981 Manning Centennial history book

Fred and Emma Musfeldt

FRED AND EMMA MUSFELDT
Fred and Emma (Ruge) Musfeldt were born in Germany, Schleswig-Holstein area. Fred came to the United States when he was three years old with his parents John and Anna Musfeldt. Emma came to the United States when she was 18 years old; she intended to go back to Germany but did not have enough money to return. Fred and Emma were married February 17, 1915. They farmed all their life and came to the farm one mile east of Aspinwall shortly after their marriage. They had four children: Harry, deceased; Carl of Aspinwall; Donald of Bridgewater, New Jersey; and Alice, Mrs. Harold Beck, of Clovis, California.

The Fred Musfeldt family, left to right, Alice, Kelly, Emma, Fred, Don and Harry.

Emma made a visit to her homeland in 1957. The children and their spouses, together with their Uncle Rudolph Ruge and Aunt Hazel Ruge made a trip, sponsored by Rudolph, to Germany and surrounding countries in 1976.

Harry Musfeldt and Dorothea Schrum are the parents of six children: Charlene (Mrs. Joe McGuire) of Pella, Iowa; Mary (Mrs. Jim Schleis) of Texas; Steve married Cindy Kroeker of Kansas City, Missouri; Doug married Carol Struve of Kansas City, Missouri; Stan, Manning; and Carol Ann of Iowa City. There are 11 grandchildren.

Kelly (Carl) Musfeldt and Luella Schultz are the parents of five children: Diane Campbell of Bonifay, Florida; Pat (Mrs. Fred Branning), Carroll; Kathy (Mrs. Don Huston) of LaMesa, California; Carla Darby of Morgantown, West Virginia; and Keith of Audubon. There are 14 grandchildren.

Don Musfeldt and his wife Trudi of Bridgewater, New Jersey have four sons; Ron and wife Susan of Lemoore, California; Greg and wife Diane of Grand Island, Nebraska; Dwight and wife Cruz of Idaho; Brian and wife Annette of Kansas City, Missouri. There are five grandchildren.

The Becks are a family of nurses as Judy, Paula and Chris are R.N.s and Alice is a L.P.N.; son-in-law Jim is a pharmacist in St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids.

The Harold Becks of Clovis, California, and their family, back row, Stephanie, Marsha, Chris, Bob holding Brian, and Jennifer; seated, Judy holding Valarie and Stephanie, Harold, Alice, Paula holding Matthew, and Jim.