Beecher, Maureen Ursenbach

Author and historian.

Charles Ursenbach was the son of Octave Frederick Ursenbach and Hannah Maria Turner. He was born on 21 January 1903 in Victor, Fremont, Idaho. He served a six-month mission to Eastern Canada in 1925-1926 and then later with his wife Margaret Lucile Harvey to England from 1976-1978. He served as a bishop, stake president, and stake patriarch in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, from the years 1942-1985. He also recorded 299 oral histories during his lifetime. He died on 24 March 1985.

Maureen Ursenbach Beecher was born 19 March 1935 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to Charles Ursenbach and Margaret Lucille Harvey. In 1958, she left to serve in the Swiss-Austrian Mission for the LDS Church. She was a professor of English at BYU from 1981-1997 and Research Historian for the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Church History for the same time period. She is now retired living in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Mormon author, historian, and editor.

Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, daughter of Charles Ursenbach and Lucile Harvey. Editor and senior research associate, History Division, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1972-1980; research historian, Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History at Brigham Young University, 1981-1997; associate professor and professor of English, BYU, 1981-1997.

Maureen Ursenbach Beecher (born 1935) was an English professor and research historian in Utah.

Maureen Ursenbach Beecher was born March 19, 1935 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada to Charles Ursenbach and Lucile Harvey. In 1958 she left to serve in the Swiss-Austrian Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She held the positions of editor and senior research associate of the History Division of the Church from 1972 to 1980. From 1981 to 1997, she served as a research historian for the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History as well as an associate professor and professor of English. She retired to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1997.

Maureen Ursenbach Beecher was born March 19, 1935 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to Charles Ursenbach and Margaret Lucille Harvey. In 1958, she left to serve in the Swiss-Austrian Mission for the LDS Church. She was a professor of English at BYU from 1981-1997 and Research Historian for the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Church History for the same time period. She is now retired living in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Maureen Ursenbach Beecher was born on March 19, 1935 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada to Charles Ursenbach and Margaret Lucille Harvey. After her father had filled a short term mission to Eastern Canada, he and her mother moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada where the family's roots were firmly planted. Her parents would have four children: Harvey, Geraldine, and Lucille, and Maureen.

The house her parents built and moved into in 1928 would be the house that Maureen grew up in. Many joyful and sorrowful memories of her family were shared there. One of the most outstanding memories of her childhood is the day of her baptism, on Easter Sunday, 25 April 1943, and being confirmed by a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

School was always very easy for Maureen. She received many awards at Sunalta School in Calgary for academics. Maureen continued to excel throughout school and on to the University of Alberta, Calgary and Edmonton branches, receiving a Diploma in Secondary Education. After receiving her diploma, she proceeded to get her Bachelor of Science in English and Mathematics at Brigham Young University in 1958.

After graduating from Brigham Young University, Maureen departed for the Swiss-Austrian Mission on 8 December 1958. The mission proved to be a growing experience for Maureen. When she returned home, she pursued her education further by receiving her Masters Degree in English in 1966 and her PhD in 1973 in Comparative Literature. Both degrees were earned at the University of Utah. She married, but later divorced Dale Beecher.

Maureen has published articles and books and lectured many times during her Academic career. She has also served as Managing Editor of Western Humanities Review from 1969-1972; Editor and senior research associate, History Division, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1972-1980; Associate Professor and Professor of English from 1981-1997; and Research Historian in the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Church History, Brigham Young University, 1981-1997. Furthermore, she has served on many professional organizations and participated in the community.

In addition to Maureen's accomplishments, she has also been one of the leading advocates for Mormon Women's Studies. Maureen has contributed much through her research and writings of Mormon Women.

Following her retirement from BYU, Maureen took a position with Global Forum, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.