January 2024
Reverend William Carl Beckmann, Jr., was born March 30, 1934, to William and Dorothy (Wallendorf) Beckmann in Queens Village, New York and was baptized at Grace Lutheran Church, also in Queens Village.
Pastor Beckmann received his Master of Divinity degree in 1958 from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned additional degrees from Concordia Collegiate Institute in Bronxville, New York; Teachers College, Columbia University, New York; and Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois.
With a desire to blend both teaching and ministry, he started his career as an educator at Luther North High School in Chicago, Illinois. At the same time, he served as an assistant pastor at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Elk Grove
Village, Illinois. In 1967, he took a position as an administrator at Concordia High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 1978, he accepted a call back to the Chicago area and served as Assistant Principal, and then as Principal, at Valley Lutheran High School in St. Charles, Illinois up until 1991.
After this time, he served in interim positions as both an administrator and part-time organist at Immanuel Lutheran Church and School in Batavia, Illinois. He spent his Sundays preaching wherever and whenever he was needed and served as interim pastor in several congregations in the Chicago Western Suburbs. During his career, he was published several times, including curriculum and other writing for Concordia Publishing House and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod School Ministry.
In 2017, he received the highest honor from The Lutheran Education Association, the Christus Magister, for his significant contributions to Lutheran education.
He served on several boards including The Lutheran Home in Arlington Heights, Illinois. He served as an evaluator for the North Central Association and led accreditation and evaluation teams for the U.S. Department of Education, National Blue Ribbon Schools. He enjoyed participating in The Tri-Cities Exchange Club and annually shared Christmas history, stories, and musings about religious and secular traditions over the centuries.
Pastor Beckmann met his wife, the late Beverly Bublitz, while at Concordia Seminary. After marrying, they both served at Luther North High School in Chicago, Illinois together. Following Beverly’s passing, he met and later married Gail Newby in 2011.
Pastor Beckmann passed away Sunday, January 14, 2024, after a brief illness.
Surviving are his two sons: Peter (Janice) and Mark (Kara); stepson Ken (Jessica) and stepdaughter Laura. He was a devoted grandfather to Alex (Malissa Larsen), Jared (fiancé Caroline Adamczyk) and Luke, and a great-grandfather to Ellie May (Alex and Malissa’s daughter), whom he baptized on December 18, 2022.
Visitation will be held Sunday, January 28, 2024, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Moss Family Funeral Home, 209 S. Batavia Avenue, Batavia, IL 60510. The funeral service will be held Monday, January 29, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 950 Hart Rd, Batavia, IL 60510.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Immanuel Lutheran School, 950 Hart Rd, Batavia, IL 60510 (www.ilsbatavia.org).