Frances Sharon Phipps Beach, 88, of Frisco, Texas, passed away on March 6, 2024 surrounded by her loving family.
Sharon was born on October 4, 1935 to parents Kent Crosby and Leah Frances Phipps in Mangum, Oklahoma. After Sharon graduated from Mangum High School in 1953, she went on to study at the University of Oklahoma where she received a Bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a major in drama and a minor in English. She obtained her master’s degree in Christian Education at Austin Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas.
After graduating, Sharon obtained teaching positions in Colorado, California and finally in Oklahoma where she met her lifelong partner and husband, Charles Beach of Altus, Oklahoma. In 1964, Sharon married Charles in her hometown of Mangum. They lived in Altus for five years and then later Charles was transferred to Clinton, Oklahoma where they raised their three children, Bill, Carmel and Mary Lynn. Sharon and Charles spent the majority of their adult life in Clinton. While in Clinton, Sharon was active in the Presbyterian and Methodist churches, United Methodist Women, the church choir, garden club, Christmas Connection and Meals on Wheels. Sharon had a quick witted personality, often attributed to her continuous love for reading. While in Clinton, Sharon loved keeping a vegetable garden and growing fruit trees in her backyard to make homemade jams and pies which she loved to share with her friends and neighbors. Sharon loved her animals, especially her Burmese cat Coco who was her constant companion in the remaining years of her life. She once said the best times of her life were her marriage to Charles, raising her children and dancing at her grandchildren’s weddings.
Later in life, Sharon moved with her husband to Elk City, Oklahoma to be near her daughter Mary Lynn and family. Following the death of her husband Charles, Sharon moved to Frisco, Texas where she lived out the remainder of her life at the Landing at Watermere, Assisted Living, to be near her daughter Carmel. The family wishes to thank the caregivers and staff at Watermere for their care and kind spirit to our sweet Sharon.
Sharon was predeceased by her husband, Charles, her parents, Kent and Leah Frances Phipps, and her brother Kent Clay Phipps and wife Mona, and her sisterin- law, Darla Beach. She is survived by her children, Bill Beach and wife Carrie of Chicago, Illinois, her daughter, Carmel Wood and husband Jon of Frisco, Texas and daughter, Mary Lynn Parkhurst and husband Clendon of Amarillo, Texas and by her brother in law, Tom Beach of Rossville, Georgia. She is also survived by her four grandchildren, Abigail Northcutt and husband Brendan of Dallas, Texas, Garrett Parkhurst and wife Corina of Ardmore, Oklahoma, Leah Skutnik and husband Alex of Canton, Mississippi and Emma Hunt and husband Hayden of Dallas, Texas.
A service will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Mangum, Oklahoma, 301 W. Jefferson, on Saturday, March 16th, 2024 at 2pm. A graveside service will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Mangum, Oklahoma. Donations in Sharon’s memory can be made to Meals on Wheels of Elk City, P.O. Box 647, Elk City, Oklahoma.