Charles Leroy Beckett

Charles Leroy Beckett of Arlington, Texas, born on October 18, 1926, in Shelbina, Missouri, passed away peacefully on October 12, 2024, just 6 days shy of his 98th birthday. Charles was a beloved husband, father, and friend.

Charles was preceded in death by his eldest daughter Ronda, his eldest son Clifford, and his wife Norma. He is survived by his second wife Sallie, daughter Fran, son Paul, 2 grandsons (Chad and Tim), and 8 great-grandchildren. 

Called Leroy while he was young, he grew up with a passion for sports, particularly basketball, where he excelled in high school. Just a day after graduating, he was drafted into the United States Army where he became known as Chuck. He completed his basic training at Fort Hood and was soon deployed to the European Theatre, arriving on the historic day of General Patton’s passing. Serving with honor in the 1st Army as part of the Occupational Force in Germany, Chuck spent one and a half years as a clerical supervisor embodying the spirit of service and dedication. Upon returning home, Leroy found work as a farmhand and connected with the daughter of a neighboring family, Norma Smoot. Their shared history blossomed into a loving partnership that spanned more than 65 years, filled with laughter, support, and the joys of raising their family.

Eager to further his education, Charles attended Chillicothe College, earning an associate’s degree in business. He worked diligently as a draftsman at Beech and then Boeing, while raising his first 3 children and attending night classes at Wichita State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering which enabled him to step up to an engineering position at Boeing. While at Boeing Charles went through several temporary assignments that took him away from Wichita. One of the more significant was an assignment in Seattle, Washington, where the family joined him for a summer before returning to Wichita. Later he accepted a position at Vought Aerospace in Grand Prairie, Texas. Before the family could move to Texas, Charles was sent on another temporary assignment to Burbank, California. The family again went out to join him for the summer only the assignment kept being extended until it was more than 2.5 years before finally getting to settle down in Texas where he continued to make significant contributions until his retirement. During his career he helped design aircraft ranging from the Beech Bonanza V-tail, through the Boeing 727, to the B-52 and B2 bombers. For more esoteric references, he also designed the winglets on a Canadair plane and the wing folding mechanism on the S3A carrier-based sub chaser. He was proud having worked on civilian, Army, Air Force and Navy aircraft.

After retiring from engineering, Charles joined Norma in the real estate business. He held a real estate Broker’s license for several years and managed the business and properties.

Charles was a devout Christian and served as deacon and taught Sunday School at First Baptist and other Churches for many years. He helped to found Grace Baptist Church and served as Treasurer. 

Later in his life, after losing Norma, Charles, at 90, remarried to Sallie DeViney. They did not have a lot of years together, but they were filled with happiness and love.

Charles is remembered for his kindness, resilience, fortitude and unwavering love for his family. He leaves behind a legacy of hard work and dedication, not only to his professions but also to his loved ones.