Beth Diaz

Winnifred Elizabeth Diaz was born in Winnipeg, Canada, on October 1, 1922. Beth was the daughter of James W. and Susan P. Balfour. She lived on her parents' farm during her early years and was a school teacher for a short time before receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba in Canada. She came to the United States in 1948 to begin her graduate studies at Iowa State University where she received a Masters Degree in Home Economics. While working on her PhD. at Iowa State she met and married Francisco Diaz in June of 1952. Beth and Francisco had 5 children and were married for 52 years prior to Francisco's passing in 2004.

Beth and Francisco moved to Atlantic in 1961 where Francisco worked for Walnut Grove. While in Atlantic, Beth was a homemaker and did tailoring work for Howard's' Clothing Store and also out of her home. She was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church, a Library Board member for many years, a member of PEO, Browning Club and the Presbyterian Women's Club.

Beth is survived by her five children: Francis and his wife, Karen, of Pinckney, Michigan, Susan Benko and her husband, Brian, of St. Louis, Missouri., Jim and his wife, Julie, of Houston, Texas, David of Atlantic, and Scott and Jenny of Portland, Oregon, and six grandchildren: Allison, Corrie, Michael, Eric, Rowan, and Aidan.

Beth was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

A memorial service will be held at the First United Presbyterian Church in Atlantic on Tuesday, June 17, at 11:00 a.m. Memorial donations can be made to the First United Presbyterian Church or to the Cass Country Memorial Hospital.

Hockenberry Family Care of Atlantic, Iowa, is in charge of memorial arrangements.