Art Beck has kidney surgery

Art Beck, who retired from BJ circulation where he was office manager in 1987, had kidney surgery this week.

His daughter, Shirley Beck Letta, Facebooked:

Art & Eleanor Beck

“Very thankful praise! My dad went through a successful operation. He had a very large tumor on his left kidney that was cancer. They had to remove the entire kidney, plus repair a hernia. Dad turned 84 the day before his surgery.

“Prayers have been raised around the country for him, and God brought him through a 5-hour operation. We thank those of you who prayed for him, and we thank God for his continued blessings in our family. It's been a time of ups and downs the last couple of months, but Dad will be back to his joking, loving self in no time.”

In 2007 Art posted this email to the late BJ Alums founder Harry Liggett:

“My daughter, Shirley Letta, works for Ohio.Com  My son Carl Beck works as a mechanic in the mail room, My grandaughter Stephanie Crace works in Editorial on Saturday and Sunday answering the phone. I work 4 part-time jobs (like to keep busy).

“I am a sub in Falls High parking lot (guard) -- work in the Falls school system as an attendant with handicaped children, work at Leisure Time
golf course (which no longer exists) and swimming pool and also am an usher at Akron Aeros baseball.”

Obviously, Art likes to keep busy.

Arthur Beck and Eleanor Sirota Beck celebrated their 60^th wedding anniversary in 2011. They have five children and 11 grandchildren.