On Monday, August 17, 2026, James Lyle “Ted” Beck, our singular father, beloved husband to our mother, Papaw/Poppy to our children, bid us all farewell. In his own way and on his own time he passed quietly, with family at his side, at Baptist Health Deaconess in Madisonville, Kentucky.
Born on February 14, 1935 in Jamestown, Kentucky to Claude and Bessie Bernard Beck, he was the eldest of four: Anna Mae Grider, Donna Diaz, and John Beck (deceased).
As a boy he spent hours at his father’s business, Beck’s Garage, on the Jamestown square, where he learned about hard work and good storytelling. During hog killing time, planting, and harvest, Ted worked hard on the Beck homestead. In free time he roamed the ridges of Russell County and down on Greasy Creek with good buddies and his Uncle Arvel.
At sixteen his eye landed on the laughing girl who was his sweetheart for seventy-five years, Bettye Jane Robertson. One summer Sunday afternoon he stood on her doorstep in Russell Springs, shyly asking for a date. A year later they wed, and this past July celebrated seventy-four years of marriage, side-by-side, as they ever have been. Together they embarked on a journey that took them far from the Russell County byways.
First to Lexington where Bettye worked while Ted studied, earning his B.A. from the University of Kentucky in 1956; then to the University of Louisville, where Bettye continued to make life work while he entered the College of Medicine, graduating with his M.D. in 1960. Following Residency in Oklahoma City, where their first child, Portia, was born, they returned to Burkesville, Kentucky and established a Family Practice. Second child, Lance, was born during their time there. They later returned to Lexington, where Ted completed a Fellowship in Radiology, and third child, Leslie, was born. During this time, he also completed specialized training in Washington, D.C.
On the eve of accepting the Chair of Radiology position at U.K., the draft board came to call. The family relocated to Fort Bragg, N.C. for a year of training and work, before he was deployed to Vietnam in 1967 as a Captain in the U.S. Army, 2nD Surgical Hospital, Chu Lai. While in Vietnam Ted helped design and build a hospital, including a radiology department with specialized equipment, and managed the care of thousands of wounded soldiers, earning him the Bronze Star commendation.
After honorable discharge in 1968, Ted immediately went to work at T.J. Samson Hospital in Glasgow, Kentucky. He lived and worked at the hospital, studying for his radiology boards in his off hours, until the family could join him there.
For two years he practiced as the only radiologist in the area, on-call night and day for X-ray and special procedures. The baby of the family, Evan, was born during their time in Glasgow.
In 1970 the family relocated to Madisonville, Kentucky, where Ted became the fourth in a four-man radiology group at Trover Clinic. He dedicated the rest of his medical career to service at Trover Clinic and to the people of Madisonville/Western Kentucky, as Chief of Radiology, later as Medical Director, and then retiring in 1997 after twelve years as CEO.
Following retirement, Ted continued the work he had begun with Beck Farms, growing the operation into a thriving venture, through personal management and oversight in partnership with Josh Lancaster and Lawrence Hust, more than partners, beloved friends.
A studied combination of intellect and wry humor, Ted was a private man with private ways, who loved nothing more than a joke well-told, a story well-delivered, deep dives into history and science, business and finance, and frugal fiscal management. He was a tech wizard who not only kept up with, but mastered, up-to-the-minute innovation, and at least one of his adult children called him routinely for tech advice and how-to’s.
Ted was an avid golfer, and enjoyed golfing trips with his buddies, and special memories on the links with his sons. He was an excellent cook and was known to invite happy eaters to the grill to view his handiwork, urging the lucky recipients to “Call Southern Living so they can get a picture of this.”
The things he loved were legion: serving up the fluffiest of homemade eggnog with a splash of bourbon at the annual Beck Christmas gathering; dinner parties with friends and colleagues Bettye made happen; scalloped oysters; our mother’s Luscious Lemon Pie; the farms; coming home; coffee with Mom at the kitchen table; Apple technology; Winston Churchill; Doris Kearns Goodwin; David McCullough; learning ever more about WWII; our mother’s biscuits and gravy; our mother; us.
We will miss him. We will remember him. We will honor him. Always.
Portia, Lance, Leslie and Evan
Ted leaves his children: Portia (Tom) Pennington; Lance (Sande) Beck; Leslie (Duke) Gaston; and Evan (Allison) Beck; Grandchildren: Hannah (Josh) Thomas; Hallie (Tavis) Ciochetty); Mary Cullen (David) Servodidio; Beck (Erika) Pennington; Cassie (Will) True; Ben Beck (fiancee’ Sarah Best); Baylor Beck (fiancee’ Rosie Alterman); Lance Beck, Jr.; Matthew Beck; Isaac Gaston; Claude Gaston; and Walker Beck; As well as ten Great-Grandchildren. A private family gathering will be held September 30.
Please consider a donation in honor of our father to the following: The James and Bettye Beck Lake Area Scholarship Fund https://lakeareafoundation.com/our-funds/
St. Jude Children’s Hospital
Berea College
The Wounded Warrior Project
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