Obituary of Robert Jack Beck

Robert Jack Beck, 88, Baptist Minister for 50 years passed away July 14., 2018.

Memorial Service: Friday, July 20 at 10:00 a.m. at Southwayside Baptist Church, 301 E. Thornhill Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76115.

Visitation: Thursday, July 19, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Martin Thompson & Son Funeral Home, 6009 Wedgwood Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76133. 

Interment: Laurel Land Memorial Park in Fort Worth.

Memorials: Memorial gifts to Southwayside Baptist Church Building Fund are suggested, 301 E Thornhill Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76115-2638.

Bob was born January 24, 1930 in Iowa Park, Texas, to Charles and Alta Beck.  He graduated from Iowa Park High School, the University of North Texas and completed Master and Doctoral degrees at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. 

During his career he served three Fort Worth churches, College Avenue, 1973-1977; Gambrell Street, 1980-1987; and Southwayside, 1988-1998.  Early in his career foreign travel broadened the ministry experience.  In Rome Italy, Lisbon Portugal and Madrid Spain he participated in short-term preaching and mission projects.  Trips to Rio DeJaneiro Brazil and Tasmania Australia through the Baptist General Convention of Texas’ Partnership Missions project provided revival preaching opportunities.   While Pastor at Southwayside he took a sabbatical, offering the opportunity to return to Rome and participate in a lecture series at the Waldensian Seminary.  During retirement he has traveled to Johannesburg South Africa to assist missionaries as they work with abandoned orphan children in one of the world’s 50 largest cities.

Pastorates included serving Texas churches at First Church, Jolly; First Church, Quitaque; First Church, Paducah; and College Heights Church, Plainview. After retiring in 1998, Bob began participating in the Intentional Interim Program through the Baptist General Convention of Texas and served with Bisbee Church in Mansfield, First Church in Bedford, Calvary in Pilot Point, and First Church in Brownwood.  

One of his greatest joys has been mentoring a new generation of ministers.  Through teaching Field Education at Southwestern Seminary and Pastoral Intern Supervision he invested his knowledge and experience to help younger ministers achieve excellence in their own service to our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Survivors: Reva Jean, wife of 60 years, whose career of piano teaching has paralleled Bob’s commitment in investing in a younger generation; his son David and wife Shelly; son Charles and wife Debbie; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild; a sister, Nell and husband John Truitt of Oklahoma, brother Don and wife Wanda Beck of California, and brother Max and wife Virginia Beck of Nevada. Nieces and nephews join a multitude of friends and colleagues in a loving bond through Christ.