Baltimore grandmother celebrated with medal after 26 kids, grandkids serve in US military

By Jennifer Franciotti

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    HEREFORD, Maryland (WBAL) — A Baltimore County woman has served the country in a most unusual way — she never joined the military, but Elizabeth Beck has certainly done her part.

“I’m really proud of all my kids and all my grandkids. There’s at least eight serving right now, active duty, all over the United States,” Beck said.

Beck has good reason to be proud. She may just be the ultimate military mom. She raised 12 children in the Hereford Zone, and all but three went into the service.

“This one came home in the sixth grade asking, ‘How do you get to the Air Force Academy?'” Beck said.

She’s referring to her oldest son, Greg, who ended up going to West Point.

“As did this one and this one. She went to Air Force, he went to West Point,” Beck said of her other children. “Jennifer did 30 years in the Coast Guard, this one 27 or 28 years in the Coast Guard, and she was in the public health service. Grandson was in Afghanistan — two of them.”

All told, 26 family members between her children and grandchildren who either have served or are currently serving and 13 graduated from military academies. And for all that, she got a medal.

“At first I thought it was a joke,” Beck said. “I didn’t do anything. ‘But you produced all these members of the military.’ That’s what my husband used to say. He said we’re suppliers.”

A sense of humor for sure, but education was the foundation for it all. Education was huge. Her husband was a teacher.

And this Veterans Day, she knows exactly why each and everyone chose to wear the uniform.

“To preserve the way of life that we have, more or less. Make it better if they can,” Beck said.

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