HIRAM—Deacon Stephen J. Bek of Hiram died May 4. He was 72 years old.

He was born on Feb. 16, 1945, in Crawfordville, Indiana, to the late Ignatz Joseph and Margaret Louise Beck. He was preceded in death by his brother, Jerry Beck.

Deacon Bek was ordained to the permanent diaconate on Feb. 8, 2003, by Archbishop John F. Donoghue. He previously served at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Kennesaw. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus. At the time of his death, he was a deacon at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Dallas.

He worked in telecommunications at Sprint, MCI and GTE for 30 years and served for eight years in the United States Air Force in England and Washington, D.C.

Deacon Bek is survived by his wife, Rita Anne Bek of Hiram, and children, Stephen J. and Jeanette Bek Jr. of Marietta; Kevin M. Bek of Hiram; Leslie N. and Rick James of Dallas; and Philip M. and Catherine Bek of Woodbridge, Virginia; sister, Henrietta DeFago of Akron, Ohio; grandchildren, Kaitlyn Bek, Sean Bek, Brendan Bek, Madison James, Ashley James and Matthew Bek; and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral Mass was celebrated by Father Adrian Pleus on May 8 at St. Vincent de Paul Church