Patricia A. Beebe Obituary (1926

Patricia Ann (Huff) Beebe, 99, of Pontiac, Illinois, passed away on June 13, 2026, at Goldwater Care in Pontiac, with her loving son by her side. A public visitation will be held on Monday, June 22, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Calvert & Martin Funeral Home, 413 N. Main Street, Pontiac, Illinois 61764. A private service and burial will be held at a later date at South Side Cemetery in Pontiac. Pastor Beth Carpenter of McNabb Friends Church will officiate. Patricia was born on her family’s farm in Washington Township, Wayne County, Indiana, on October 23, 1926, to Foster Huff and Maxine Fern (Silence) Huff. She was a good farmhand and started herding cattle at age 6. She married Robert Kaye Beebe on July 24, 1960, at Dublin Friends Church in Dublin, Indiana. She is survived by her son, James Beebe; her sister, Susan Huff (Nick) Block; and numerous nieces and nephews. Patricia was preceded in death by her husband, Robert, on May 11, 1991; both her parents in 1969; and her three brothers, Forest Max Huff (1937), Ronald Lee Huff (2012), and James McArtor Huff (2019). Education and learning were central themes throughout Patricia’s life. She graduated from Lincoln High School in Cambridge City, Indiana, in 1944 and earned a bachelor’s degree in vocational homemaking from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, in 1956. In 2019, she proudly attended her 75th high school class reunion, wearing her varsity band letter sweater. Patricia held a wide variety of jobs throughout her life, reflecting her strong work ethic and dedication to serving others. While attending college, she worked as a clerk and cashier at Doll’s IGA Grocery in Dublin, Indiana, from 1945 to 1955, as a seamstress at Atlas Underwear Mills in Richmond, Indiana, and as an office worker for Stant Manufacturing in Connersville, Indiana. Her teaching career began in Wheatfield, Indiana, where she taught home economics from 1956 to 1957. She then taught vocational homemaking at Octavia High School Unit #8 in Colfax, Illinois, from 1958 to 1961. From 1961 to 1966, she taught third and fifth grades at Washington Elementary School in Pontiac, continuing in the classroom until the day before her son was born. After becoming a mother, Patricia remained devoted to education. She worked as a substitute teacher from 1966 until 1998 and taught in the Vocational Department at Pontiac Township High School, as well as in the Homebound Student and Adult Literacy Education programs, for more than 20 years. She later worked in the library at Esmen School. Beyond education, she maintained two separate paper routes for The Pantagraph for more than thirty-three years and served as secretary for both the Heartland Community Orchestra and the Pontiac Municipal Band. She also volunteered her time with the Pontiac Fun Club and Heartland Head Start programs. Music was another lifelong passion. Although she sang in a local church choir and played handbells for many years, Patricia remained a loyal, faithful, and lifelong member of the Dublin Friends Church. She was also a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Letitia Green Stevenson Chapter. Beginning in the early 1980s, she played French horn with both the Pontiac Municipal Band and the Bloomington-Normal Community Band, remaining an active member of each for many years. She performed her final concert in 2019. Patricia enjoyed traveling the world and experiencing new places, cultures, and people. She also assisted her husband in operating The Jiminy Cricket Lamp Shop, a longtime, brightly lit fixture on Howard Street in Pontiac. Those who knew Patricia will remember her kind heart, good sense of humor, and genuine desire to help others. She took great pride in being a teacher and found deep satisfaction in helping people learn, grow, and make their way in life. Above all, Patricia cherished her family and friends. She created countless memories that will forever be treasured by those who knew and loved her. She will be remembered as a bright and caring presence, always willing to lend a helping hand and make a difference in the lives of others. Memorials in Patricia’s name may be made to: Dublin Friends Church, Attn. Pastor Annie Glen, 2352 Maple Street, P.O. Box 96, Dublin, Indiana 47335.