Marian Beaman
Memoir Author & Storyteller
Stories of faith, family, and a life that moved from Plain to Fancy.
Welcome — this is a place my memories find meaning. I spent my first 24 years as a Mennonite girl in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (the Plain), before moving south to Charlotte, North Carolina, and eventually settling in Jacksonville, Florida (the Fancy).
Every other Wednesday I post a new story about faith, nostalgia, and the family ties that bind us together.
Marian’s Memoirs
Mennonite Daughter:
The Story of a Plain Girl
This is where it all starts — a childhood shaped by tradition inside a strict Lancaster County Mennonite community. It’s an inside look at what that world actually felt like: the expectations, the faith, and the quiet work of figuring out who you are underneath the plain dress and the plain rules. Stories with treasured family photos and a family tree shape the memoir.
My Checkered Life:
A Marriage Memoir
Built around a quilt metaphor, this book looks at what fifty-plus years of marriage actually looks like up close — culture clashes, a travel trailer disaster, tight money, and learning how to fight fair. There are old diaries in here, family recipes, restored photos. It’s as much a love story as it is a record of two people figuring out how to build a life together.
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Latest Reflections & Reviews
See and Hear: Weddings in 1950s Pennsylvania
My first memory of a fancy wedding is drawn from the Zion Lutheran Church in Hummelstown, PA, a lovely edifice with stained glass windows, a pipe organ, and a bell tower. I was nine years old when I attended Mary and Howard Landis' wedding there. ...
My Baby Book and Storyteller Shirley Showalter
Shirley Showalter and I were both born in July though we are several years apart. Our lives follow a similar arc. Both include storytelling and writing.
Writers Robbie, Debby, and Pam: Creative Acts
Making art is not a skill we learn but a joyful way of being in the world.
About Marian Longenecker Beaman
I’m a writer, a former teacher, and a speaker. I love words— and especially the connection they make possible. Whether you’ve been reading for years or just found me today, I’m glad you’re here.
Got a story of your own, or want to set up a book club talk? I’d love to hear from you..