Linda Marie Beal died on Aug. 2, at her home in Burns.

She was born on Aug. 7, 1942, in San Bernardino, Calif., to Furness (Jack) John Taylor and Rose Marie McNamara Taylor.

Beal’s parents moved to a dairy in Vale when she was 10 years old. She helped her parents with all of the dairy chores. At the age of 15, she had 15 registered Jersey cows, heifers and calves, which she entered in the Malheur County Fair. She won the title of Oregon Jersey Queen and was awarded a trip to Chicago. When not milking and feeding calves, she enjoyed riding her horse and being around all animals.

Beal was a majorette in the Vale band, and also sang in the choir. She graduated from Vale High School in 1960.

She married Michael Gillespie, and they both attended college in Logan, Utah. The couple had two sons, Wendell James and Warren Carl before divorcing.

Beal and her sons moved back to Vale to the family dairy, and them moved to Prairie City when she married Alfred Fleming. She worked at the John Day Hospital as a certified nursing assistant (CNA). The couple had a son, Alan Laurance and daughter Ann Marie. After divorcing, Beal moved back to Vale.

In Vale, she lived in a cinder-block house on six acres, where she started raising a few horses and a cow. Beal worked for her parents and in the onion sheds in Vale.

She then married William Henry Beal, a neighbor boy she had met when she first came to Vale. To be near her husband’s job, the family moved to Brooks, near Salem on a 10-acre farm.

While living near Salem, Beal went to school for a nursing degree at the Salem Hospital.

Three years later, before Beal completed school, the family moved to Burns, again following her husband’s work.

Beal helped her family build their home, barn and shop in Burns, and also helped her husband in the Watermaster office of the Water Resources Department. She also worked at Harney Hospital as a C.N.A.

Beal was a 4-H leader for 20 years and introduced the first goats to the Harney County Fair. Her club members all excelled in market lambs and dairy goats. She was a member of the Harney County Church of the Nazarene, and through singing, delivered the Lord’s word. Her other talents included writing poems, acrylic painting and pencil drawing. She was a good organizer and hard worker.

Beal is survived by her husband, Bill; sons, Wendell, Warren and Alan; daughter, Ann; stepsons, Will, Dennis and Mike Beal; brothers, John and Tad Taylor; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Rose Taylor.

A memorial service was held on Aug. 8. Internment was held on Aug. 9 at the Valley View Cemetery in Vale. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Beal’s memory may be made to the Harney County 4-H, Harney County Extension Office, 450 N. Buena Vista, Burns, OR 97720.