Beck, Jesse

BECK, Jesse Ray

Jesse Ray Beck, age 96, Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army, retired, died February 7, 2022, Roswell, Georgia. He was born January 19, 1926 at Foss, Oklahoma, son of Andrew Lee and Nellie Ida Wheat Beck. He lived a full life which included growing up on a farm during the great depression of the 1930's, attending elementary school in Oklahoma, then, after his father died in 1937, moving with his mother and three younger siblings to Floyd, New Mexico where he completed elementary and then high school, graduating, having received his draft notice, May 12, 1944. He began his Army service May 16, 1944. He was deployed to Europe in December 1944 where he participated in the Battle of the Bulge and was in Czechoslovakia when war in Europe ended May 8, 1945. His service, including a picture, has been entered into the World War II Memorial Registry, Washington, D C (www.wwiimemorial.com). Leaving the active Army for a few months, he subsequently reenlisted and obtained a commission as a Second Lieutenant. He served in Korea in the 187th Airborne Infantry Regimental Combat Team and parachuted into North Korea to intercept elements of the Chinese Army. He subsequently held various assignments in the Army. Then, in the early 1960's, having left the active Army, he was a deputy sheriff (one of 3000 uniformed) and then an investigator, Los Angeles County District Attorney. During this time he maintained his status as a practicing Army Reservist which led to his resumption of active service in 1967 and subsequent assignment to Vietnam, first as a Civil Affairs Officer then a member of the 5th Special Forces Group, Airborne. In 1969 he returned to the United States and retired at Ft McPherson, GA in 1971. He was predeceased by his first wife, Mary Eileen Graham Beck. They were married in 1950 and were blessed with four children, Bruce, Victoria, Bonnie and Barbara, grandchildren Briar and Hunter Beck; Nicholas, Rebecca, Amanda and Patrick Shannon and Jonathan, Olivia, Juliana and Garrett Pettigrew. Eileen passed away January 1985 after almost thirty five years of marriage. Upon retirement from the Army, Jesse took a position as Personnel Officer for the late Ben Fortson, long time Georgia Secretary of State. He completed his undergraduate studies at Oglethorpe University and his law degree at John Marshall Law School allowing him to accept a position as Administrative Hearing Judge with the Georgia Department of Human Resources. He retired from that position in 1990. In 1986 he and Shirley Ann (Gussie) Elliott Lawrence were married. They enjoyed travelling and built a home large enough to accommodate Gussie's parents during their last years. Jesse enjoyed volunteering as a security officer for the 1996 Olympics and later as a poll officer for Fulton County. Jesse was baptized as a Baptist at age twelve, became a Catholic before departing for Vietnam in 1968 but beginning in 1992, attended the Alpharetta First United Methodist Church the rest of his life. Jesse often said that God had been good to him and he particularly appreciated the good fortune of being married to two lovely women during his lifetime.

A memorial service will be held at Alpharetta First United Methodist Church on a date yet to be determined at which Amazing Grace and Old Limpy shall be sung. In lieu of flowers, donation to Jesse's Church or the Salvation Army is encouraged. His cremains shall be inurned in Arlington National Cemetery's Columbarium Court 5, Section Ml, Stack 6, Niche 5, along with Eileen's cremains and Gussie's.

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Funeral Home Information

Northside Chapel Funeral Directors, Inc.

12050 Crabapple Road

Roswell, GA