Lawana Joyce Beem of Silver City entered eternal rest on Saturday, December 27, 2025, at her residence. She was born April 9th, 1941, in Hot Springs, South Dakota to Donald Weckwerth and Frances Bowell Weckwerth.
She grew up in Edgemont, South Dakota where she met Don Beem, who was a year ahead of her in school. After high school they both went to college in Chadron, Nebraska where she started working on a degree in teaching. She married Don in 1961 and never completed her degree, although she did teach in Wyoming and Las Cruces. They moved to Lordsburg, then to Las Cruces, and later to Silver City with their two young sons. One-month-old Tami was adopted in 1969. Lawana ran a daycare at her house for several years and was sewing clothes for the family. Don was the manager at Western Stationers for a few years, when he and Lawana bought the business in 1974 and worked together for 34 years. They expanded into copy machines, hobbies and crafts, picture framing, Hallmark cards, and gifts. Lawana did the books along with sharing the management responsibilities with Don. Don and Lawana were active in the Methodist Church and were also members of the local square dance clubs and danced for most of their married years. They retired in 2008 and her sewing transformed into making quilts and creating beautiful cards up to the point of her passing.
She is survived by her two sons, Kevin G. (Marie) of Rio Rancho, David L. (Gabriella) of Silver City, seven grandchildren, Bryan Beem, Vinny Contreras, Dustin Martinez, Gabby Dietz (Joe), Danny Tirado, Luz Angelica Tirado, and three great-grandchildren, Melody and Charlie Dietz and Scarlet Vega, brothers Clyde Weckwerth of Farmington and Myron Weckwerth of Silver City, and numerous nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by husband Don, her parents, her daughter, Tami Torres Martinez, and granddaughter Ashley Torres.
Cremation has already taken place and a Celebration of Life for Lawana will be held at the Methodist Church on Saturday, April 11 at 2:00 p.m. Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels and Crematory "Trusted care for the ones you love" ~ 575-537-0777. To send condolences, visit
