Walter Ray "Buddy" Beck

Walter Ray “Buddy” Beck departed this world to be with the Lord on November 13, 2019. He was born on November 7, 1922 to Walter Washington Beck and Mikie J. Hahn Beck in Waelder, Texas. Buddy grew up as a young boy during the depression years. Times were tough. He earned the nickname of “Nickel Bowl of Chili” at a local Waelder eatery. He would come in and order a nickel bowl of chili and then added crackers and catsup to increase the volume of his meal. He repeated the cracker-catsup routine several times before finishing the bowl. After graduating from Waelder High School in 1941 he moved to San Antonio. In 1942 he joined the U.S. Coast Guard. During his three-year tenure in the Coast Guard he served in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. He met Elizabeth Oakes Ridgeway in San Antonio prior to his enlistment in the Coast Guard. On his return from active duty they were married on September 9, 1945. In 1950 he went to work for Southwestern Bell where he spent 36 years as a cable splicer, retiring in 1986. In 1963 he and his family moved to New Braunfels where they became members of New Braunfels Presbyterian Church. Buddy loved to play dominos and on occasion he was known to hunt rattlesnakes at the Freer Rattlesnake Roundup. Buddy was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Norine, Lucille, and Helen Ruth; and nieces, Glenda, Kathy, and Rena; and his wife Betty. He is survived by his sister, Marinell; daughters, Bonnie Reininger and her husband Terry and Beverly Beck; three grandchildren, Stephanie Feuerbacher and her husband David, Paul Reininger and his wife Dallas and Renee Meadows and her husband Ron; seven great-grandchildren, Dominique, Jordan, David “Doc”, Taylor, Benjamin, Jackson and Kingston; and one great-great-grandson, A.J. Family and friends will miss him but are comforted knowing he is in the loving arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Zoeller Funeral home. Visitation will be from 5-9 PM on Sunday, November 17 at Zoeller Funeral home. A Service of Remembrance will be celebrated at New Braunfels Presbyterian Church at 10:00 AM on Monday November 18, 2019 with a reception to follow at the church fellowship hall. Interment will be held 1:00 PM at Hill Country Memorial Gardens Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be given to the Scleroderma Foundation or to New Braunfels Presbyterian Church.

The family would like to thank Hope Hospice and Caring Now Senior Services for their continuous loving care for Buddy.