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COUGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

A Mother Who Knows

Julie B. Beck, 2014 Alumni Achievement Award winner, College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Julie Bangerter Beck (BS '81), 15th Relief Society general president, was a full-time homemaker when she was called to serve on the Young Women general board. During her service in the Young Women and Relief Society general presidencies, she traveled approximately one million miles, gave more than 500 talks, and averaged 15 meetings a week.

Heavily involved in general Church responsibilities, Beck has served on the executive and general councils for Church welfare, the Church Board of Education, the Board of Trustees of Church schools and universities, the Perpetual Education Fund board, and the LDS Family Services board. Beck chaired the committee to revise Personal Progress and directed the writing and publication of the book Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society.

Some of her most influential addresses include “Mothers Who Know,” “Teaching the Doctrine of the Family,” “The Vision of Prophets Regarding Relief Society,” and “What I Hope My Granddaughters (and Grandsons) Will Understand about Relief Society.” Beck says, “The Lord’s way is to be fruitful. We should be multiplying our families, multiplying our talents and abilities, multiplying the good in the world.”

Although much of Beck’s life has been devoted to service and church callings, she also believes strongly in the importance of formal education. Reflecting on her years at BYU she says, “I really wanted my children to have a mother who was a university graduate because I wanted that to be their goal. I knew I couldn’t expect it of them if I didn’t do it myself. . . . My husband and I made that joint sacrifice together. It was hard, but we did it.”

In addition to a college graduate, Beck has been a piano teacher, PTA president, volunteer for various events and celebrations, and co-chair for her local America’s Junior Miss program. In 2012 Gov. Gary Herbert appointed Beck to serve on the board of trustees of Dixie State University, where she was previously inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in the area of public and college service. Throughout all her service Beck reflects, “There’s always a way out of a problem, and two heads on it are better than one—and one of those heads better be the Lord’s.”

She and her husband, Ramon, have three children.

Full Name: Julie Bangerter Beck
Grad Year: BS 1981
College: Family, Home, and Social Sciences
Major: Family Life
Post date: June 29, 2017