Mary Beimdiek

(From Knell Mortuary)

Mary Jean Beimdiek (née Beck), Carthage, MO, died on September 30, 2026, at the age of 78.

Mary was born March 14, 1948, in Louisville, KY, the daughter of Harry Louis Beck Sr. and Ethyl Earline (Reed) Beck. She attended public schools in Carthage, first attending the one-room Monitor School, which she dearly loved. She was a member of the class of 1966.

On November 23, 1979 she married George Stephen (Steve) Beimdiek, III, and they enjoyed a lasting marriage of 44 years. He preceded her in death on June 17, 2024.

Mary was an exceptionally creative person, with an impeccable sense of style. These talents came together with Second Street Gallery, a business she founded and owned, for more than two decades. In the beginning, Second Street Gallery primarily offered original artwork (notably by local watercolor artist Jerry Ellis), and Mary did not stop there.

She was a self-taught interior designer and Second Street Gallery quickly became the destination for expertly curated gifts, beautiful home decor, distinctive holiday decorations, high-end cookware, gourmet foods, and of course her expert guidance for the perfect bridal registry.

Second Street Gallery had a robust business with customers not only local but also from surrounding states as people sought out Mary’s unique collections.

In addition to her work, Mary was on the Board of the Powers Museum, which opened in 1988, for many years. She was also involved with Art Central, Carthage Historic Preservation, and the local Christmas Home Tours. She was a long-time member of the Mimosa Garden Club.

Mary also expressed her artistry through cooking. She taught herself to cook as a child, and loved to read cookbooks and experiment with new recipes and ingredients. She was an excellent gourmet cook and enjoyed entertaining and preparing wonderful food for her friends and family, especially her beloved Steve.

She was an expert on antiques; an interest which began in her 20s. She became an antique dealer in her early adulthood while living in Vermont. Relatedly, she was an enthusiast of history, particularly early American and New England history. She was an accomplished gardner as well, with beautiful landscaping and flowers that she changed with the seasons.

Mary was an avid reader and lover of music. She especially enjoyed a longstanding multi-generation family tradition of spending time with friends at their Tuesday night dinner club.

Mary and Steve had a love of Carthage, both having grown up there, and contributed significantly through donating both time and money to a wide variety of charitable causes to help their community.

She also loved spending time at her second home, a farm she shared with her husband Steve in Stowe, Vermont. While in Vermont she relished spending time outdoors and seeing various animals come through the property, including deer, bears, duck, geese and other birds. She also spent hours with Steve exploring the backroads and quaint towns of New England.

Survivors include her two daughters, Erin Reed Logsdon, Nashville, TN and Ann Beimdiek Kinsella (Steve), St Paul, MN; two grandchildren James Andrew (Jak) Kinsella, Los Angeles, CA and Margaret Marie Kinsella, St. Paul, MN, and Bobbi Burkhart, Carl Junction, MO, the family’s long-time household manager who became an integral part of the family. Mary was preceded in death by one son, Christopher Stephen Beimdiek (1994), her two brothers Harry Beck Jr. and Gregory Beck, and her parents.

Funeral services will be held at Grace Episcopal Church in Carthage, MO on Monday, October 5th at 10:30 am, with burial in Park Cemetery. Memorials may be given to Grace Episcopal Church or the Carthage Crisis Center.

Arrangements are under the direction of Knell Mortuary, Carthage, MO.