JOHN BECK Obituary

JOHN D. BECK Butch, as he was known to all who knew him, passed away at his home in Kailua the morning of April 22, 2023, after a short illness. His daughter Kathy was with him at the time of his peaceful passing. Butch was born in Tiffin, Ohio on April 4, 1938, to China missionaries, Rev. John Beck and Grace Ekvall Beck. In October 1940, the Beck family boarded the SS President Coolidge for the voyage back to China. Upon arrival in Honolulu the party was informed by the US State Department that women and children could not continue on to China so the party disembarked until they could safely continue. Little did they know that Hawaii would become their forever home. The family moved to Ewa Plantation where Butch grew up and went to Ewa School. In 1949 the family left Hawaii for Rev. Beck's seminary school in Oberlin, Ohio and lived in in Caracas, Venezuela, where Butch attended the American School. Butch graduated in 1956 from South Kingstown H.S. in Rhode Island where he lettered in three sports, football, basketball, and baseball. The family returned to Hawaii, settling on Kauai. Butch completed his education at UH Manoa, class of 1960. He was a lifelong avid fan and supporter of UH athletics. Two other major events happened in 1960, starting his career in the insurance industry and on December 30th his marriage on Kauai to Mary Ellen Case, the love of his life and life-long partner. They made Kailua their home and where they raised their family, daughter Kathy and son Danny. Butch was a dedicated family man, and their life was filled with activity, school, sports, trips back to Kauai, and fun vacations on the mainland with friends. Their later years were full of love and laughter that came from their four grandchildren who were their pride and joy. Butch started his work career at First (formerly Home) Insurance Co. of Hawaii. He was a multi-year winner of "Agent of the Year" at First and in 1969 he was in the first cohort of Hawaii agents inducted into the Million Dollar Round Table for the international insurance association. In 1986 he founded Beck Kudlich & Swartman Agency. In 1998 BKS was purchased by Aon Risk Services and he served as President of Aon Risk Services of Hawaii until retiring in 2004. He came out of retirement to join Lincoln Financial Advisors in 2008 and ended his career in January 2023. He had a fulfilling and successful career as Butch was first and foremost a "people person". Butch was pre-deceased by his wife of 54 years Mary Ellen, his parents, brother Henry and sister Sarah. He is survived by his daughter Kathryn Peters; grandsons: Keoni, Korey (Zena), & Logan (Valerie) Peters; son Daniel M. Beck; granddaughter Samantha Beck; sister Susan (Scott) May; 2 nieces and a nephew. Butch was dearly loved and will be missed. We will Celebrate Butch and his life on June 1st, 2023, 5:00 p.m. at The Pacific Club.