Charles E. Beck

Beck, Charles E. 86, died March 14, 2008, in St. Petersburg. He came to St. Petersburg in 1998 from Boca Raton, FL, with his wife, Ruth, who predeceased him in 2000. Mr. Beck was born in Lincoln County, KY, in 1921. Prior to World War II, he was studying agriculture at Berea College in Kentucky. He joined the Army Air Corps and by war's end was a B-29 captain flying bombing missions in the Pacific. At the conclusion of the war, he began his business career in Detroit as a cost analyst at Murray Corp. He later joined Ford, and in 1959, he was named Director of the Business Planning office. Upon Ford's completion of the Philco Corporation acquisition in 1961, he was elected president of Philco-Ford. In 1964, Mr. Beck joined American Bosch Arma Corp. of Garden City, NY, later renamed AMBAC Industries, as president. He subsequently assumed the responsibilities of CEO and Chairman of the Board, positions which he held until AMBAC's acquisition by United Technologies in 1978. Mr. Beck was also a director of New York-based Anchor Savings Bank in the 1970s. Mr. Beck received honorary doctors of law degrees from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, KY, and LaSalle University in Philadelphia. He earned BS and MS degrees from Wayne State University, Detroit. He was a trustee of Berea College in Kentucky for several years in the 1960s - 1970s. Mr. Beck principally resided in Florida from 1978. He is survived by 3 children, Robert of Denver, CO, Susan and husband Clinton of St. Petersburg, FL, and David of Dallas, TX; and 3 grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Clear Creek Baptist Bible College, 300 Clear Creek Rd., Pineville, KY 40977.