BECK, John R.

The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona February 13, 2003 John R. Beck, 73 born February 26, 1929 in Las Vegas, New Mexico son of Roland and Betty (Schrock) Beck died February 7, 2003 in Scottsdale, Az. John once remarked that he wouldn't write about his life and accomplishments because no one would believe him. He was raised in Edmond, Oklahoma where he earned his B.S. in Ecology and Masters of Science from Oklahoma State University. John met Doris Ailene Olson while he was conducting field research at the King ranch and they were married in 1951 sharing 52 years together. In John's 15 years with the U.S. Department of Interior, he was a government trapper in North Dakota and a research biologist in Idaho where he studied the impact on the local elk herd of damming the Clearwater. Later he served as a district agent for Fish and Wildlife in Ohio and a job corps center director who started the Treasure Lake Job Corps Center based near Fort Sill, Oklahoma. John left government service for the private sector and joined Bio Serv Corporation where he was company vice president for 9 years. He moved to Arizona where he started his consulting practice specializing in business evaluation and expert witness in pesticide litigation. John also taught biological sciences and agribusiness at the University of Tennesee, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Arizona State University. He contributed articles to several professional and scholarly journals. John served in the U.S. Army reserves in the rank of Captain. John was a member of the Royal Society of Health, the Explorers and Wildlife Society. He also was a Mason in Oklahoma and belonged to Sigma Xi, the Garden Club, NAFRE, and ASTM where he was chairman of the pesticide commitee (1979-1981) and ad hoc chairman of vertabrae pesticides (1994-1995). John was active politically as a life member of the Republican National Commitee, Senatorial and Presidential Roundtable. He was active in Rotary International and served in the Prescott Valley Rotary club recieving the Paul Harris Fellow for his commitment to Rotary. He was a member of the Humboldt Unified School District School Board and was active in his local church serving as deacon, teacher and board member which he did throughout his life. John is survived by his wife of 52 years Doris, 4 children Daughters Elizabeth Aguiar and Patricia Beck, Sons Thomas and John William Beck, 7 Grandchildren Chris and Melissa Beck, Cassandra Aguiar, Andrea Carter, Julie, Emilie, and Kellie Beck. He is also survived by his mother Dr. Betty L. Beck and sister Betty Palmer of Prescott Valley. Funeral Services for John will be held on Friday, February 14, 2003 at 10:00 AM at the Willow Hills First Southern Baptist Church 1071 Mogollon Rd, Prescott, Az with a Visitation for family and friends to be held from 9:00 10:00 AM, at the church. Burial will follow the services at Heritage Memorial Park Cemetery in Dewey. Arrangements Entrusted to Sunrise Funeral Home and Crematory Prescott VaIley, Az. (Obit: Courtesy of Pat Wilson)