Beck, Erwin G.

Jesuit Father Erwin G. Beck died on December 15, 2010 at Murray-Weigel Hall in the Bronx, New York.

The son of Michael Beck and Ida Deppert, Fr. Beck was born in Ridgewood, N.Y., on July 5, 1928. He graduated from Regis High School in 1946 and after one year at St. Francis Seminary on Staten Island, he proceeded to the Jesuit novitiate of St. Andrew on Hudson in 1947. Following his Juniorate studies there, he went north to Weston College, Massachusetts for the study of philosophy (1951-54).

His assignment for Regency was in the Philippines, first to teach Latin at San Jose, Quezon City (1954-55) and then at the Ateneo de Zamboanga from 1955-57.

The study of theology in preparation for ordination took place at Woodstock College from 1957-61, with his ordination at Fordham University on 18 June, 1960. His year of Tertianship (1961-62) at Auriesville was followed by his first assignment as a priest to Xavier High School. He taught Latin and Religion, but mostly German there from 1962 to 1981, except for three years when he taught Religion and German at Brooklyn Prep (1967-70). In addition to teaching, he also found the time to obtain a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Theology (S.T.M.) from Woodstock College, NY in 1973.

He then moved to St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City in 1981 where he taught, was a student counselor and served in the community. His local ministry there included traveling every day across the Hudson to New York City for Mass. Then, with failing health, he was assigned to Murray-Weigel Hall in 2004, serving as a house consultor there since 2007.

The Mass of Christian Burial was held on December 20 at the Fordham University Church, and he was buried at the Jesuit Cemetery in Auriesville, N.Y.