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Obituary : Paul Wilhelm Beck |
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Paul Wilhelm Beck, 93, of 201 Savage Farm Rd., passed away at Kendal at Ithaca
on May 9th, 2009. Born in Crosby, MN on 28 March 1916, he was the son of Saima
Karin Maki and Edvard Wilhelm Beck, who emigrated from Finland circa 1910.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Ethel (Heikkinen) Beck; daughter,
Karen; and son, Larry and wife, Gay Johnson and grandchildren, Jared and Micah;
nephew, Frank Westerlund and wife, Fereshtah and their son, Cyrus. Dorothy
Duhant, Agnes Martin, Taimi Wirta, Agnes Ness, Dan and Paul Maki are cousins who
live in the US and numerous relatives reside in Finland. Paul was predeceased by
his sister, Agnes and her husband; and Paul's lifelong friend, Wendell
Westerlund.
Paul grew up with Finnish as his first language and learned
English when he began Kindergarten. He served in the CCC's during the Great
Depression where he learned some new colorful English expressions. Languages
were a facility which he employed professionally, translating Dutch and Russian
technical papers for his research. He was educated at the University of
Minnesota, Armour Institute, and the University of Chicago and received a Ph.D.
from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1952. He was employed by Sinclair
Oil where he held patents for odorless paint solvents, and North American
Phillips where he worked to develop early ceramic magnetic computer memory. He
taught military mathematics to future Army officers during World War II and
physical chemistry at Western Connecticut State University. He retired at 70 and
moved to Ithaca where he was a member of the Unitarian Church and the
Fingerlakes Finns. Paul's hobbies included ham radio and the computer.
Interment will be in Ironton, MN in a family plot. There will be a private
family gathering to remember Paul. Bangs Funeral Home will be assisting the
family.
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