John William Beck, Sr.

"Beck, John William, Sr.John William Beck, Sr. was born in 1924 in New Orleans to Ralph Lamar and Mary Ann GrasserBeck in a house on St. Andrew St. He led a life characterized by direct experience in some ofthe major events and currents of the American 20th century, including the Great Depression; aworld war; the GI Bill; the post-war industrial expansion; the Baby Boom; and the greatmigration to the suburbs. He attended Redemptorist Elementary School and St. Aloysius (nowBrother Martin) High School in New Orleans. At age 19, he availed himself of a governmentprogram that paid his way to the Mediterranean coast of Italy, the French Riviera, the VosgesMountains of the Alsace Region, the Rhineland, Bavaria, and Austria. In other words, heparticipated in the U.S. Seventh Army's invasion of Europe, serving mainly in the 103rd InfantryDivision (also called the "Cactus Division"). After hospitalization for his second Purple Heartinjury, he was assigned to an engineering unit, performing construction duty on the coast ofBelgium until the end of the war. On return to New Orleans, he indulged a lifelong love of sailing,building a sailboat and spending many happy hours on Lake Pontchartrain. In 1946, as astudent at Louisiana State University, he met Alice Raye Broussard during a social function atthe Newman Center at Christ the King Chapel. That night, he expressed an instant attractionand intention to marry this dietetics student from Cow Island, Louisiana. They wed in 1949,embarking on a marriage of 67 years, and contributed to an event known as the post-war BabyBoom (see below). They repeated their vows in a ceremony held in 1999. After graduation fromLSU, John began a 33-year career at Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Company, as ChiefChemist and later Superintendent of Chemical Services at the Baton Rouge plant. A dedicatedmember of the do-it-yourself movement, he and his new wife built their first home together.Later, he employed the full range of construction skills in a long series of home additions andimprovement projects. An avid camper, he took his family on backpacking and canoeing tripsacross the continent. He was a member of the Baton Rouge Rifle and Pistol Club, and afounding member and active parishioner at St. Jude Catholic Church, serving as a lector formany years. He volunteered at St. Vincent de Paul and taught the Great Books reading seriesto prisoners at Angola State Penitentiary. He was predeceased by an older brother, RalphLamar Beck, Jr., and son-in-law, Felix Battistella. He is survived by his wife, nine children, tengrandchildren, and one great-grandson. Children: John William Beck, Jr. and wife PamelaPafford; Michael James Beck; Mary Alice Beck Rupley-Rathe and husband Richard Rathe;Stephen Patrick Beck and wife Lesa Eiserloh-Beck; Thomas Joseph Beck and wife BethBordelon; Christine Beck-Battistella and fiancé Brian Benson; Martha Beck Upton and husbandMark Upton; Ralph Martin Beck and wife Killeen Anderson; James Edward Beck and wife SusanBeck.  Visitation will be on Tuesday, February 14, 2017 at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church (9150 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70810) from 9:30 a.m. until Mass of Christian Burial at  11:00 a.m. officiated by the Reverend Trey Nelson.  Entombment will follow at St. George Catholic Church Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church.