July 11, 1940-May 19, 2024
On Sunday, May 19, 2024, our loving mother Eleanor Beacham Lee passed away peacefully at her home in St. George, Utah. At the remarkable age of 83, she left a legacy of laughter and love, having lived each of her 30,628 days on Earth to the fullest.
Eleanor was born on July 11, 1940, in St. George to her adoring parents Agnes and Ted Beacham. She cherished her childhood memories, growing up alongside her two younger sisters Betty and Diane. Eleanor’s adventurous spirit was evident from a young age, as she spent most of her youth on horseback, exploring every inch of the red hills that surrounded her home. The majestic red rocks of Dixie served as her favorite playground, where she discovered the beauty and freedom of the great outdoors.
Despite facing challenges, such as a bout with rheumatic fever in middle school that set her back academically, Eleanor’s spirit only grew stronger. She proved that nothing could keep her down. With determination and resilience, she graduated from Dixie High School and quickly entered the workforce.
Eleanor worked as a waitress at nearly every café in town, including Liberty Café, Sugarloaf Café, Dick’s Café and The Big Hand Café, to name a few. She loved meeting and talking to people, and she excelled in her job with her natural charm and friendly demeanor.
On August 13, 1960, she married her first husband George S. Cude. Several years later, Eleanor met and married the love of her life, Wayne S. Lee, on November 10, 1967. Their love story was one for the ages, and they were later sealed in the St. George Temple on January 16, 1992.
Aside from her love of horses and all animals, Eleanor was a devoted fan of Elvis Presley. She owned all of his albums, watched every movie he ever made and was undoubtedly his biggest fan. One of her greatest thrills was taking her parents to an Elvis concert in Las Vegas, an adventure she often reminisced about. Finding anything new related to Elvis that she didn’t already have became one of her family’s biggest challenges.
Eleanor was a dedicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in many callings throughout her lifetime. Her faith was a cornerstone of her life, providing strength and guidance through all her endeavors.
Eleanor’s legacy lives on through her sister Betty Beacham (Gary) Carter, children DeeLynn (Alan) Allred, KayLynn (Matt) Petersen and Eddie (Tina) Cude. She was also a proud grandmother to Jeri (Jayson) Davis, Trudy Stanton, Braydon (Mickie) Petersen, Tawsha (Cody) Chadburn, Cheyenne (Taylor) Udy, Austin (Emma) Lee, Eric Allred and Melissa (Stormy) Carlisle, as well as a great-grandmother to Gibson Davis, Ellie Davis, Ashlee Chadburn, Lucan Chadburn, Olivia Chadburn, Brekken Stanton, Parker Stanton, Paxton Petersen, Amirah Lee, Cash Carlisle and Garrett Carlisle.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Wayne Lee, parents Ted and Agnes Beacham, sister Diane Connor and her son Marty Leroy Lee.
A viewing will be held on Tuesday, May 28, from 6-7 p.m. at Spilsbury Mortuary. An additional viewing will take place before the funeral service on Wednesday, May 29, from 9:30-10:30 a.m., with the funeral service beginning at 10 a.m. at the same location. Eleanor’s spirited life, filled with love and adventure, will be remembered and cherished by all who knew her.
Arrangements are under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S Bluff St., St. George, 435-673-2454. Family and friends are invited to click here to sign Eleanor’s online guest book.