Virginia Frances Cech Bean, Ginny as she often preferred to be called, passed away peacefully Tuesday, December 21, 2021, surrounded by her three daughters, at the Spring Gardens assisted living facility in Mapleton, Utah. Ginny is the mother of four children, preceded in death by her oldest child, James Bean and her first husband, James Evan Bean of 50 years. She was also preceded by her second husband, William Call, of 5 years. Her posterity includes 14 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Aside from her husband, her children and their posterity, her great love was music. Her husband, James Evan Bean, served as choral music director in several school districts in Utah and Arizona. Ginny was a constant booster of his many concerts and other musical activities. After Evan joined the Tabernacle Choir, Ginny also joined. This was a particularly exciting experience for her because she grew up an only child in Chicago and loved listening to this beautiful choir from Utah singing weekly on the radio.
Her path of coming to Utah, and eventually joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and later membership in that same Choir began when meeting and becoming friends with Albert Schonberg from Bountiful, Utah at North Western University. Shortly thereafter, she visited her father in California. He was a postal worker, and offered her a Brigham Young University brochure from the dead letter files, and suggested this might be a University she might like to look into attending. It was at BYU where she Joined the church, and eventually met Evan.
Ginny was willing to sacrifice anything she had for her family. On multiple occasions, she was the caretaker for several of her grandchildren who were staying with them or nearby at various times while their parents were at work or school. She loved her grandchildren, sometimes making great sacrifices for them, and missed them tremendously when they did not live near her. Having a home of their own in later life was important for the service and loving support it enabled her to offer some of her children, providing an anchorage and love following the mortal departure of a child’s spouse. Her love and patience with grandchildren was an immense support to her children and a lasting memory for each grandchild who was a beneficiary.
She served in many capacities in the church, but her most beloved calling was bearing her testimony every week through music as a member of the Tabernacle Choir. The precious time that it afforded her to spend those special moments with dad, not only with the weekly rehearsals, but weekly broadcasts and the trips they went on with the choir all around the world, bearing testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ. After she retired from the Choir, both she and dad continued their association by serving as ushers at the tabernacle and new Conference Center.
Among the last conversations she had with family members she would express her amazement and gratitude that a lone, only child from Cicero/Chicago Illinois could find the church, marry a dedicated husband and father, have a family and enjoy so many descendants. She passed with gratitude for the most important things in life expressed both in words and deeds.
She is survived by a brother Alan (Christy) Cech, daughter-in-law Chris Jardine Bean, daughters Audrey (Jim) Allison, Karen (Jim) Bean, and Evelyn (Jim) Sheehan, and many Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 29th at 11:00 AM at Mapleton 26th Ward, 970 North 400 East, Mapleton, UT, with a viewing from 9:30 to 10:45 AM. Interment to follow at Provo City Cemetery, 610 S. State St., Provo. To view previously held services please visit https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/nZNVMA2ZeXwxcqxZbMJzT737W2mywFO0ZA-rYdSgkCk9NKS2uReSo0GBuWuyxuc2.YJ0hUTlXRUkDiBd-?startTime=1640799269000
Dear Bean Family: Our hearts and thoughts and prayers are with you. Hugs sweet family.