Ruth Sorensen Beal

Ruth Sorensen Beal passed away peacefully from chronic lung disease on August 21st, 2020 at the age of 77. As she had wished, her family was gathered near. Born in occupied Denmark during the second World War, Ruth's early years were marked by visits to her grandparent's farms in the Danish countryside. As the oldest of four girls, Ruth took on a lot of the home responsibilities of cooking and cleaning while both of her parents worked. These home making skills learned early in life would continue to bless and enrich every aspect of her future life. Ruth exemplified the best that the 20th century had to offer- she was optimistic, hardworking and approached problems with the idea that they could be solved. As a teenager, she studied hard, earned money, and made her way to Grand Prairie, Texas as a high school foreign exchange student. One year in Texas was enough to sell her on the joys of being an American citizen. After a brief return to Denmark, she worked in a factory to earn money for her trip back to the United States on a steamboat. She graduated in Nursing from Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. While in a class on International Relations, Ruth broke with the mold of the class and sat down on the side where the boys were sitting. It was there that she met Richard Smith Beal. The two hit it off right away but the timing wasn't just right. Richard served a 3-year LDS mission to Denmark while Ruth did a stint as a flight attendant on Pan Am. On January 31, 1969 everything had fallen into place and Ruth and Richard were married. Richard and Ruth spent 15 short years together in this life as a married couple. In that time, they had five children, lived in multiple states and countries, and eventually settled down in a house in Northern Virginia where Richard accepted a job in the Reagan White House. They enjoyed many of the same things such as classical music, traveling, trying new foods and church service. Sadly, Richard passed away early at the age of 38, leaving Ruth to raise five children on her own. Ruth was more than up to the task of raising stalwart children, passing her homemaking skills onto her sons and daughters, making a home on a tight budget and utilizing every talent she had been blessed with to guide their lives on a path of stability and encourage her children in their pursuits. Ruth's talents and skills were legendary. She could put on an entire wedding, including making elegant dresses, wedding cakes and doing all the flowers. She loved growing and using the vegetables and flowers from her garden. She was extremely prepared and uniquely self-reliant in everything except doing her taxes. She was deeply religious, as devoted member of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ruth's faith was centered on a practical and pragmatic belief that the Lord loves you and wants to bless you. She viewed trials (of which she had many) through the lens of faith and diligence, allowing them to refine her character and deepen her faith. She accepted many church assignments but especially relished her years teaching the gospel to teenagers in Sunday School, and her service as an ordinance worker in the Washington D.C. temple. The fruit of her parenting labors became the addition of two daughters-in-law and two sons-in-law, and 18 grandchildren. Ruth joins her husband Richard Smith Beal, her mother Magda Schou Nielsen, father Frode Holst Sorensen, and her sister Ulla Foss. She leaves to cherish her memory her sister and brother-in-law Carla and Mogens Rimm, and her sister Anni Jensen. Her five children Emily (Carl) Nuzman, Jason (Holly) Beal, Trevor Beal, Melinda (Matthew) Davis, and Quincy (Natalie) Beal and 18 grandchildren. A service will be held for the family only at the church but will be presented live on Zoom for those interested. To get the Zoom info, sign up on the link in order to get an invitation. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c054aaaac29aa8-funeral All are invited to the graveside service, please wear a mask and practice social distancing at the site. To join the funeral procession, place a paper with the name "Beal" in your front windshield. Meet at the Fairfax Memorial Park Office (Not the funeral Home) 4401 Burke Station Road, Fairfax, Va.22032 and with for instructions from the cemetery when the family arrives.

Ruth Sorensen Beal

March 1, 1943 - August 21, 2020