Beck, Walter

widely known Miamian who left this city about 25 years ago to further his business career in the vicinity of Forest City Missouri, died early today at his Kansas City home. He was 54 years old. Mr. Beck, associated with his brothers, C. A. Beck and J. B. Beck, both of this city, in the operations of the Beck Mining and Royalty Company, had been in ill health for several weeks. At the time of his death, Mr. Beck was president of the Home State bank at Forest City, which is located north of St. Joseph Missouri. He had engaged extensively in the contracting business. He owned a large farm and engaged in cattle raising near Forest City. His business holdings also had been extended into other states, such as Texas and Kansas. He had served as president of the Beck Mining and Royalty Company. Although he had moved from here about one-quarter century ago, he always has maintained his legal residence here and returned to cast his votes at major elections. Mr. Beck was born near Afton Oklahoma while it was still Indian Territory, May 16, 1888, the son of the late George W. Beck and Patience A. Beck. The late George Beck was prominent in early day business circles here. The bank executive attended Miami high school and later Drury college at Springfield Missouri. Then he entered the Washington university at St. Louis law school and obtained his degree there to practice law. He was admitted to both the Oklahoma and Missouri bars, but never engaged in practice. At Kansas City his home address was 1745 West 49th Street and it was there that death came early this morning. Surviving him besides the two brothers in Miami, are his wife, Mrs. Lottie Beck; two sons, Walter Beck, Jr., and J. B. Beck; a daughter, Nancy Beck; and seven sisters, Mrs. S. C. Fullerton of Miami, Mrs. Paul Wilks of Tulsa Oklahoma, Mrs. A. C. Watkins of Kansas City, Mrs. C. A. Rogers of Miami, Miss Mabel Beck [balance of article missing from the microfilm]

Funeral services for Walter Beck, president of the Home State bank at Forest City Missouri, and pioneer mine operator in the Tri-State district, will be held at 2:30 Wednesday afternoon at the Beck family home, 5 E Street northwest. The Rev. Harry W. Curtis, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, will conduct the service. Beck, a partner with his brothers in the Beck Mining and Royalty Company, died Monday morning at Kansas City. Burial will be in the G.A.R. cemetery at Miami, with the Lane funeral home in charge. Pallbearers will be George Stein, Charles Fox, Dave Ogden, Walter Williams, Elam Hall and Salem Almegourd.