Marty “Gene” Beck of Floydada, formerly of Lubbock, passed away on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the age of 86. He was born September 6, 1940, in Madera, California, to the late Loyd and Pearl Beck. He married Johnnie “Sue” Jackson in Madera in 1959 and moved to Texas in May of 1960.

Gene spent much of his life working in the agricultural industry, building a long and respected career in the cotton business. He began working for Littlefield Farmers Cooperative Gin and Elevator in 1966 and went on to devote more than three decades to the cooperative gin industry before retiring from New Home Cooperative Gin in 2003.

Throughout his career, Gene became a familiar and respected figure among cotton ginners across the region. He served in numerous leadership roles, including president of the following organizations: Texas Agricultural Cooperative Council, Texas Cotton Ginners Association, Plains Ginners Association, and Plains Cooperative Managers Association. He also served as a delegate to the National Cotton Council and on several industry boards and committees.

Gene’s dedication to the cotton industry earned him recognition at both the state and national levels. He was named Texas Ginner of the Year in 1993, National Ginner of the Year in 1996, and Cooperative Ginner of the Year in 2003.

More important to Gene than the awards were the people he met along the way. He was innovative, willing to take chances, and always looking for ways to move the cotton industry forward. A hardworking man, Gene was often the first to arrive and the last to leave. He valued the people who worked alongside him and made it a point to know his employees by name. Gene never met a stranger. He loved to talk, enjoyed getting to know people, and had a natural ability to build lasting relationships wherever he went.

Retirement did little to slow him down. Gene spent another 15 years working seasonally with the USDA Cotton Classing office, allowing him to remain connected to the ginners and the industry that had been such an important part of his life.

As much as Gene enjoyed his work, his greatest joy was his family. He loved spending time with those closest to him, and family vacations were treasured traditions and opportunities to make memories together. Gene also had a passion for traveling and enjoyed seeing different parts of the world in addition to spending many summers in Ruidoso.

Gene was a man of great faith and devoted much of his time to serving in his local church. He was a deacon at Calvary Baptist Church in Lubbock and led the “Coffee Pot Crew” there for several years. In 2024 he married Molly Stinger and moved to Floydada, where he became involved in First Baptist Church Floydada.

Gene is survived by his wife, Molly Stringer Beck of Floydada; his children, Scott Beck and wife Linda of Brownfield, Melinda Beck of Lubbock, and Suzie Jameson and husband Gary of Lubbock; Christy Newberry of Georgetown, Melody Roberts and husband Jim of Coarsegold, California, and Steve Stringer of Floydada; four brothers, Ted, Nick, Frank, and Joe Beck; seven grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Loyd and Pearl Beck; his first wife, Sue Beck, in 2022; and two siblings, Bill Beck and Myra Bambridge.

Gene will be remembered for his strong work ethic, his gift for conversation, his love of people, and the relationships he built throughout a lifetime in the cotton industry. Above all, he will be remembered as a man who loved his Lord Jesus and his family.

Memorial services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at First Baptist Church in Floydada.