Obituaries

Dorothy Ileta Beckloff

Photo of Dorothy  Ileta Beckloff
Dorothy Ileta Beckloff, 87, of Bentonville passed away on Sunday, December 17, 2017 in the Circle of Life, Bentonville. Ileta was born in Paragould Arkansas to Burl and Delpha Buchanan on June 13, 1930. She was the loving wife of, James Beckloff, for 57 years. She graduated from Springfield High School in 1947 and from Harding College in Searcy in 1956. She taught elementary school at Crowley's Ridge Academy in Paragould and Athens Bible School in Florence, Alabama before moving to Dover, New Jersey. Upon moving to Bentonville, she taught and retired from Gravette Elementary School. Ileta was a host mother to Fernanda Ugalde, high school senior exchange student from Ecuador and to Sergey Linski, a high school student from Ukraine. She was a faithful companion in her husband's activities. She enjoyed scrabble and spending time with her children and grandchildren. She belonged to Bentonville Church of Christ and was a leader in the Centerton 4-H club. After retirement, they lived and taught English in both Wuhan, China, (1997-98) and Nigeria (1999-2005). She and Jay were given the DISTINGUISHED CHRISTIAN SERVANT AWARD by the West Nigeria Christian College and School of Biblical Studies, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, in August, 2013. Ileta is preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Clifford Buchanan. She is survived by her husband of Bentonville; children: Risa (Galen) Hunter of Fort Smith, Kent (Julie) Beckloff of Bentonville, and Brenda Beckloff of Fort Smith; brother, Walter Buchanan of Waxahachie, Texas; sisters, Betty (Jerry) Gatlin of Paragould, and Jenette Buchanan of Asheville, North Carolina; five grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Viewing will be held on Wednesday from 10-11 a.m. with the funeral at 11:00 at the Bentonville Church of Christ with Walter Buchanan officiating. Burial will follow at the Bentonville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Circle of Life hospice, 901 Jones Rd, Springdale, Ark. 72762 or the Bentonville Church of Christ, Missions Ministry, to assist Ileta's namesake, Ileta Agawuru (Little Ileta) with her schooling fees in Nigeria Online condolences can be made www.callisonlough.com.

Published December 19, 2017

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