Women of Warrenville: Rudy Karpfen Beck
During 2020 we are celebrating Women’s History as our country marks the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women across the United States the right to vote in 1920. Although our celebration is much different than we had expected due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to feature the women of Warrenville online. This post highlights the life of Rudy Karpfen Beck and was originally featured in our 2017 Warrenville Cemetery Walk which showcased some of the women Mildred Baldwin had included in her popular column the Well Dressed Women of Warrenville in the Warrenville Digest. This script was originally read by Rudy’s daughter-in-law Sharon Beck.
Rudy with her brother Bill and mother Greta
Rudy Karpfen was born in Olomovc, Czechoslovakia, on June 3, 1917, in the midst of World War I when there was much uncertainty in her native country and the world. She grew up with one brother and one sister (pictured below as young children).
After primary and secondary school, Rudy attended Karl’s University in Prague, where she was certified as a teacher in five languages, Czech, German, French, Italian and English. Although she clearly showed her mother’s talent for a proficiency in language (her mother spoke eight languages), she followed her dream to become a nurse. Despite her family’s objections, Rudy studied nursing in Bradford, England, and immigrated to the United States during World War II.
Rudy’s nursing career one of her biggest passions was caring for the elderly. This put her in the forefront of geriatric nursing in the local area. As this was a newly developing field, she became one of the first nurses to be certified for such care. She stated that she was lucky to be someone who loved her job. Rudy worked at Copley Hospital, Manchester Manor, and St. Patrick’s Residence, and served as the head nurse at the DuPage County’s Convalescent home, which was at the time the most highly accredited in the state in the department of therapy. One of her main goals in working with patients was helping to get them up and out of bed. She always stated that although it was easier to have a bed bound patient, rehabilitation was about getting patients up and moving. She knew that was crucial to her elderly patients having a good quality of life. Rudy’s passion also led her to serving on the DuPage County Senior Citizens’ Council.
Rudy met and married John Beck, also an immigrant to the United States, who had immigrated from Austria. John and Rudy met at the California home of Rudy’s cousin, well-known composer, Ernst Toch. Toch was an Austrian composer of classic music and film scores. Rudy and John’s mutual love of music drew them together and remained a strong force throughout their lives.
Rudy as featured in Mildred Baldwin’s Well Dressed Women of Warrenville, 1967 Warrenville Digest
As native Europeans, both Rudy and John were also avid skiers, along with their son Peter. Despite loving the sport, Rudy always said she skied against her better judgement.
Like many working mothers, Rudy also had a busy home life at the Beck home on Main Street in Warrenville, cooking, baking, and sewing, while raising their two children, Peter and Sheila.
Rudy pictured in 1998
Rudy passed away on February 11, 1998, at the age of 87, after a long and courageous battle with emphysema. John passed away and joined Rudy at the Warrenville Cemetery in eternal rest three years later.