LAKELAND, Fla. - Harry Raymond Beck, age 84, of 835 Forest Lake Drive, Lakeland, Fla., formerly of Salem, died at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday at the Wedgewood South Care Center in Lakeland.

He was born Jan. 14, 1924, in Barnesboro, Pa., the son of the late Raymond C. and Edith Beck.

Mr. Beck spent 26 years in Columbus, Ohio working as a chemical engineer for Worthington Foods, Inc., where he retired in 1993. Before moving to Columbus, he was employed at the former Berg Pretzel Co. in Leetonia, Ohio. He was a 1941 graduate of Salem High School.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Marines, serving in World War II in the Pacific Theater, and was awarded the Purple Heart. He attended the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Salem.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Walton Klemann Beck, whom he married Oct. 2, 1996; one son, James H. (Sharon) Beck of St. Cloud, Fla.; one daughter, Barbara (Jerry) Wilson of Salem; three half brothers, Raymond Beck of Mineral Ridge, Ohio, William Beck of Michigan and Charles Beck of Birmingham, Alabama; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and eight step-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Kathryn Lossick Beck, in 1995.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Stark Memorial with Forrest Wheeler officiating. Full military honors will be provided by the Salem V.F.W. Post 892 and the Salem AMVETS Post 45. There will be no calling hours. A private burial service will be held Thursday at Petersburg Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Heart and Hands for Mission, 660 W. Eighth St., Salem, Ohio 44460.

12/7/09

(Paid obituary)