Edgar Eugene “Beck” Becknell passed from this life Wednesday, April 30, 2014. Eugene was born on April 9, 1928 to Edgar and Nell Becknell in Quanah, Texas.
Eugene married Wanda Sawyers at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Lubbock, Texas on October 8, 1949. He graduated from Idalou High School and attended Texas Tech. He was a proud cotton farmer and prided himself in planting his cotton on his birthday. Along with farming, he co-owned the Idalou Pump Company, partnered in the Farmers Gin in Idalou, and spent a large part of each cotton season working on the farm in the daytime and pulling the night shift as the gin manager. In 1969, he stepped in to manage the family business, Becknell Wholesale Company, after his dad was seriously injured in a car accident. Under his leadership, the business expanded from Lubbock to a second location in Dallas. He always hired young college students, many of whom went on to very successful careers.
Eugene served as president of the Texas Wholesale Hardware Association and was honored with a lifetime membership. He also served as Chairman of the Broadmoor Conference of Hardware Group Association, and as president of the Hardware Group Association and the Southern & Eastern Hardware Association. Becknell Wholesale Company joined the Farm Equipment Wholesalers Association (FEWA) in 1971.
Eugene served as president of the Lubbock Club and as a board member of the Llano Estacado Winery. He served on the Board of Directors of State National Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Norwest Bank, First National Bank, Bank of the West and Idalou State Bank. He also served as president of the Idalou School Board. He was a proud supporter of the Red Raider Club and the Texas Tech University Chancellor’s Council. Eugene was a longtime member of the Lubbock Executive Association, receiving the Business Man of the Year award. He served as an Advisory Board member to the Lubbock Women’s Club. Eugene was a charter member of the Idalou Jaycees and a member of the Lubbock County Club. He was a member of the Idalou United Methodist Church. He was also honored with the Arrowman award from the Pi Beta Phi sorority. As a father and grandfather, he held the unofficial record for attending dance recitals for 35 consecutive years.
Survivors include his wife Wanda Becknell; their daughters, Brenda Becknell, Donna Chandler and husband Ron, and Robin Walker and husband Don; grandchildren, Emily Chandler and Ashli Poindexter, Matthew Chandler and wife Tiffany, Ivy Zepeda and husband Kris, and Hannah Walker; great-grandchildren, Kamryn and Devon Chandler; sister, Kay Jones; brother-in-law, Buddy Sawyers and wife Judy; sister-in-law, Pat Stitt and husband Chuck.
Mr. Becknell was preceded in death by his parents; brother-in-laws, Dr. Joie Jones, and Billy Fred Sawyers; brother and sister-in-law, Delbert Mack and Evelyn Sawyers; mother and father-in-law, Opal and Delbert Sawyers.
Memorials may be made to The South Plains Food Bank, Covenant Foundation, South Plains Kidney Foundation, or a charity of your choice. ###