This Saturday, family and friends will gather to remember Clark J. Beck, Jr. Here’s the remembrance being shared with the community:
Clark J. Beck, Jr. was born in Wichita, Kansas on January 6, 1932, and died at his West Seattle home surrounded by family and close friends on August 2, 2017.
A much admired and respected aeronautical engineer and dedicated aerospace historian, he attended Wichita State University and received Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees in aeronautical engineering. Clark worked at the university wind tunnel and also at Beech Aircraft while attending Wichita State. He served as an officer in the US Air Force at the Arnold Engineering Development Center wind tunnel facility in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
Clark joined the Boeing Company in 1958 and worked at facilities in Wichita, Huntsville, and Seattle until he retired in 1993. He worked with the Structures Engineering Staff and specialized in vibration and noise problems associated with aircraft and space vehicles. He worked on the B-47, B-52, Saturn 1C Launch Vehicle, AWACS, 737, Supersonic Transport, Minuteman, B-l, IUS launch vehicle and 777 aircraft.
Clark took great pride and pleasure in his participation in Boy Scouts, earning the Eagle rank as a teen, volunteering with Troop 288 in West Seattle and forever embodying the scouting ideals of community service, kindness, helpfulness and excellence. Clark was a devoted husband to surviving wife Evalea, and they celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary in September 2016. He was a loving father to surviving sons Dave (Kathleen) Beck and Dan (Toni) Beck, and proud grandfather to Malcolm, Helene, Leah (mother Leslie Beck), Khrystal, Ashley, and Savannah.
In 1999 Clark became a docent at the Museum of Flight in Seattle and in his retirement years diligently researched aviation and aerospace history and shared his discoveries in regular talks and tours for museum visitors. He was a faithful leader and congregant at Seattle First Christian Church and played an important role in the merging of SFCC into All Pilgrims Christian Church. He loved his pets, his garden, listening to “Willie’s Roadhouse” on satellite radio, and keeping all things in good order and repair. He was a man of extraordinary skill and intellect, curiosity, kindness, humility, grace, love, and good humor, much loved by all who encountered him.
We celebrate his life on Saturday, August 12, 2017, at 2 PM at All Pilgrims Christian Church, 500 Broadway East. Memorials can be made in his name to All Pilgrims Christian Church or the Museum of Flight.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
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