Ray Beck

Ray Beck passed on to a better place on July 29, 2012 at the age of 82. At the time of his passing, Ray was divorced. He was born in Valhalla, NY on February 3, 1930, to Melvin and Myrtle (Williamson) Beck. At 2 years of age, he moved to Newfield, NY where he spent the next 22 years. At the age of 18, he joined the Navy Reserve where he spent much time on the Aircraft Carrier Kearsarge. During his time at home, Ray was an avid Stock Car driver winning the New York Spring Championship in 1952. After 5 years he was discharged with credit for 5 years active duty Navy because of all the time he put in at sea. He then enlisted in the Army in August of 1954, where he remained until November of 1963. While in the Army he attended the schools of Field Radio Repair, Radar and Television Electronics. Also while in the Army, he spent a year at Fort Huachuca demonstrating Army tactical Television. He and his family also spent 2 years in Alaska at the Port of Whittier where he operated a Closed Circuit Television Station for the Base. When he was discharged he worked for such Companies as RCA, Ampex and CBS Television in Washington D.C. After leaving the D.C. area, he moved back to Newfield, NY where he bought a 130 acre farm where he tried being a gentleman farmer. After 2 years of cold winters, he decided to move to Arizona that he learned to love while at Fort Huachuca. When he arrived in Tucson, he went to work for the University of Arizona Medical School before it opened. He helped build the Television facility at the school, and was the Chief Engineer there for about 10 years. He then accepted a position of Bio-Medical Engineer with the Mercer School of medicine at Mercer University in Macon, GA before it opened, and helped build the Television facility there. He also repaired all electronic equipment in the facility. He worked there until 1990, when he retired at 60 years of age. His hobbies were hunting, camping and flying radio control aircraft. He moved back to Arizona in 1993 to San Manuel, then Willcox, then Sierra Vista and finally back to Willcox. He loved to joke about his 15 minutes of fame. He was locked in the underground Pentagon with President John F. Kennedy along with many other key personnel during the Cuban Missile Crisis. And when at CBS, he pinned the microphone on Lyndon Johnson the night he said he would not run again. At the time he told Ray, pin that thing on tight son, I’m going to knock their socks off tonight. Ray leaves behind a daughter, Patti (Clyde) Barker of Tucson, a son Eric (Susan Potter) Beck of Newfield, NY, daughter Phyllis (David) Browning of Newfield, NY, a step son Sidney (Jie Guo) Smith of Corpus Christi, TX, a sister Donna (Ken, deceased) Brown of Zephyr Hills, FL. Ray also has a brother Ken Beck of Ithaca, NY, 7 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. Ray was pre-deceased by his parents and a sister Lois (Ben) Minteer of Newfield, NY. At his request no services will be held. Contributions may be made in Ray’s name to the Charles Wm Leighton Jr. Hospice, P.O. Box 115, Willcox, AZ 85644. Arrangements entrusted to Westlawn Chapel, Mortuary and Crematory of Willcox, AZ. Online condolences may be offered at www.westlawnchapelmortuary.com

Ray Beck

February 3, 1930 - July 29, 2012