State Rep. Bill Beck dies suddenly
State Rep. Bill Beck, D-Nashville, died June 4, 2023, following a sudden heart attack at the age of 61.
Beck had represented House District 51 in Nashville since 2014. A native of the Madison and Whites Creek neighborhoods of Nashville, Beck graduated from Belmont University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration before serving in the Tennessee Air National Guard.
He then attended the Nashville School of Law. Beck worked for several years in the private sector at the firm of Beck and Beck alongside his mother, Martha Lu Cone Beck.
In the legislature, he served a member of the Civil Justice Committee, the State Government Committee, the Transportation Committee, the Ethics Committee, the Civil Justice Subcommittee, the Departments and Agencies Subcommittee, and the Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Subcommittee.
Beck was commemorated by several members of the Nashville City Council, Davidson County government, and Tennessee Legislature, including Sen. Jeff Yarboro, D-Nashville.
“I’m just heartbroken to hear that my friend Rep. Bill Beck has died,” Yarboro said. “We entered the legislature together in 2014, and he was such a genuinely good man. Please pray for his wife, Pam, his family and all who were his friend, which is a whole lot of us in this city who will miss him.”
House Minority Leader Karen Camper, D-Memphis, refered to Beck as a “brother.”
“Our caucus is a family,” Camper said. “Today we lost a brother, and we are devastated. Our hearts go out to Pam, Meredith and Bill’s entire family. Bill and I entered the legislature together, and it was a true honor to serve with and learn from him. He was a source of advice, inspiration and much-needed levity for me and many others at the most crucial moments. Everyone privileged enough to ever cross Bill’s path knows what a special person and caring individual he was. He truly had a public servant’s heart and the most memorable laugh. I will miss my dear friend and colleague. Please join us as we lift the Beck family up in prayer.”
Beck was honored by the Democratic Caucus in a statement.
“Our hearts are filled with sadness as we send condolences to the family of State Rep. Bill Beck,” the statement read. “For nearly a decade, Rep. Beck served his district and the people of Tennessee as a State Representative and a member of our Democratic Party. His contributions to the betterment of our state and his commitment to public service will never be forgotten. Let us lift his family in love and prayer as they endure this moment of grief. Let us cherish his memory by striving to embody those values that he lived by and fought for.”
Condolences came in from both sides of the aisle with the Tennessee Republican Caucus issuing a statement.
“We are extremely saddened to hear of the loss of our dear friend and colleague, State Rep. Bill Beck,” the statement read. “He was a passionate public servant whose hard work and unwavering dedication to the people of Nashville served as an example to us all. We pray for his family and give thanks for a well-lived life of service.”
Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, said Beck will be “greatly missed.”
“We are incredibly saddened to hear that our colleague, Rep. Bill Beck, has unexpectedly passed away,” Sexton said. “Bill was a dedicated servant and powerful voice for the city of Nashville, a husband, father, and friend to everyone in the General Assembly. His quick wit and unforgettable laugh could always lighten a committee meeting or the proceedings on the House floor. We express our sincere condolences and prayers to Bill’s family during this difficult time.”