William Doughty "Bill" Beck, Jr.

"William ("Bill") Doughty Beck, Jr., passed away peacefully at his home in Baton Rouge on September 18, 2017, at the age of 90, after a life of being a good son, husband, father, friend and humanitarian. Bill was the son of Alice LaLande and William Doughty Beck. A native of New Orleans, Bill graduated from St. Aloysius High School. As a young person, Bill learned to love the outdoors by fishing and exploring the small lakes and ponds in Audubon Park. He later became an excellent hunter, enjoying many bird hunting trips in locales across the country. He loved animals and had many beloved pets throughout his life. A veteran of WWII, Bill respected and revered all that for which the American flag stands. He joined the United States Navy at the age of 17, serving in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service aboard the USS Piper SS/409 and the USS Raton SS/270, where his keen sense of hearing was an asset to his shipmates. His love of animals continued in the U. S. Navy, including the smuggling of a pet monkey onto his submarine for several days until discovered by his commanding officer! Bill was an accomplished athlete, as evidenced by his selection to play on the Navy's baseball team and later an invitation to join a semi-pro baseball team. Opting not to play baseball, he embarked on a short career as a featherweight boxer. He decided to attend St. Louis University through benefits under the G. I. Bill, while at the same time trying his hand at owning and operating a tomato farm in the Mid-West. He studied engineering at St. Louis University, and ultimately became a geophysicist. It was during this time that he met and fell in love with Emma Frances ("Fran") Wilson, who became his beloved wife of over 60 years. After their marriage in 1952, Bill worked out of Victoria, TX, and then Abbeville, LA. His job as a geophysicist required him to go out in the Gulf of Mexico for 10-14 days at a stretch, surveying for oil and gas production. During this time, his young family was growing, and Bill decided that he didn't want to be absent from the family for such long periods of time. When their fourth child was born in 1960, Bill and Fran moved to Baton Rouge so that they could further their education at LSU, where he pursued his law degree and Fran pursued her PhD in Special Education. He is a graduate of the LSU Law Center and practiced law in the Baton Rouge area from 1964 to 1996. A generous man, Bill always lent a hand to those in need and instilled in his children a respect for all people. He and his wife opened their home to, and shared their resources with, numerous relatives throughout the years. His client base included impoverished and uneducated clients, and he served them well, often accepting fees much lower than the average. Bill went a step further in advocating on behalf of the less fortunate among us. In 1969, he was one of the founders of Community Correction & Rehabilitation Center (CCRC) and served as its Executive Director. The CCRC was a residential facility providing educational and job training opportunities to its residents who were first-time non-violent felony offenders under age 28, offering criminal courts an alternative to sentencing young offenders to the state penitentiary. During this time, he also partnered with friend Joe Ed Thompson to form the firm of Beck & Thompson. In 1977, Bill resigned from his duties with CCRC so that he could focus his energy and talent on the firm's practice. Bill's primary loves were his wife Fran and their 4 children, about whom he was fiercely protective. His secondary loves were nature, gardening and the outdoors. He always had a tomato and vegetable garden at home, and as recently as a few weeks ago, he and his grandchildren planted some tomato plants that are thriving today. He taught his children to value education, adopt a strong work ethic, make contributions to society and strive to be the best persons they could be. In addition, he taught them to enjoy the outdoors, taking them on many camping trips and on fishing and hunting trips throughout their lives. A proponent of protecting the environment, he was dedicated to recycling and other energy-saving measures that protect the environment and taught his children to do the same. An engaging storyteller, Bill had a great sense of humor and enjoyed playing practical jokes on friends and family. In short, Bill's rich and storied life was one of joy, service to others and love of family. Those who shared his life were lucky to have done so. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Fran; his parents, sister Patricia (Dick) Erichson, brother Charles, and son-in-law Larry Tiller. He is survived by his sister Mary Alice (Charles) Steffen; children, Teresa Tiller, Barbara Beck, William D. Beck III, and John (Elizabeth) Beck; grandchildren Emily (Helias) Andriessen and Scott (Kristen) Villar; and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation will be on Thursday, September 21, 2017 at Rabenhorst Funeral Home (825 Government St., Baton Rouge, LA 70802) from 5:30 PM until 8:30 PM. Visitation will continue on Friday, September 22, 2017 at St. Joseph Cathedral (412 North Street, Baton Rouge, 70802) from 8:30 AM until the Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 AM. Burial will follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. Bill's family would like to especially thank Home Instead and the Hospice of Baton Rouge for the care provided during his last days. In lieu of flowers, it is requested that memorial donations be made to the U.S. Submarine Veterans Charitable Foundation, Inc., P. O. Box 3870, Silverdale, WA 98383, www.ussvi.org, or the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, P. O. Box 45830, Baton Rouge, LA 70895, www.brfoodbank.org.