Carmen LaRae Beckstrand Veikoso, age 70, peacefully transitioned to glory on May 1, 2022. Up to that day, Carmen was strong and healthy, an active and loving grandma, a treasured mom, and a passionate teacher well loved by her students and peers.
Carmen was born March 2, 1952, in Minot, North Dakota to Reverend Floyd & Lorraine (Huwe) Beckstrand. Like her parents, Carmen loved and lived for Jesus Christ from the day she gave her life to the Lord as a child. After graduating from Minot State College with a degree in education, she spent a year of her life as a missionary aid to Assemblies of God missionaries, Reverend Stanley & Jayne Faulkner in the Kingdom of Tonga.
While in the Kingdom of Tonga, Carmen met Kelepi Veikoso. After a courtship by mail, they married in Rolla on 24 December 1978. They were married for nearly 42 years when her husband went to be with the Lord 14 June 2020. They served the Lord with their lives in the USA, Australia, the Kingdom of Tonga and other islands throughout the Pacific.
Carmen was a remarkable teacher for 46 years teaching in 3 different nations. Her first passion was teaching the Word of God which is life to those who find it and health to all their flesh.
Carmen went ahead of 3 children, Amanda Innes and son-in-law, Jeremy Innes, Moana Veikoso and Sione Veikoso and daughter-in-law, Ellice Veikoso; 4 grandchildren, Veikoso Innes, King Innes, Quade Innes and Aletheia Veikoso, as well as her own siblings and their spouses: Jeanne & Gary Anderson, Beverly & Rev Leroy Aufenkamp, Carol & Kent Braunberger, Rev Foster and Kelly Beckstrand and Joseph and Leann Beckstrand; and step-mother Barbara Beckstrand.
Carmen lived a full and beautiful life on this earth conscious of this fact: Only one life, ’twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.
**Funeral Service: 11 am Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at Lakewood Park Bible Camp Chapel, near Devils Lake, ND, with Visitation held one hour prior to her service.
Interment: Warwick Cemetery, Warwick, ND
West Funeral Home & Life Tribute Center
westfuneralhome.com
**Special Note
The Funeral Service was a tribute to Carmen's life that lasted 2 & 3/4 hours long. Because of the length, the recording of her service is shown below, the beginning as the Funeral Service, the last half shown as Prayer Service
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