Bea Zeeck

Bea Zeeck Bea Zeeck, journalist and former spokeswoman for Texas Tech, died Thursday at her home after a brief illness. She valued grammar and decorum, the First Amendment and an educated citizenry, common sense and a sense of humor. She loved flowers, cats, dogs, books and any simple thing that helped reveal truth. She was a woman of deep faith with an appreciation of the beliefs of others. She was born July 31, 1921, in West Chicago, Ill., to Frank and Grace Thrapp. She received a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a master's in communications from Texas Tech University. She was a reporter and editor for The Columbia Missourian, the Daily Record in Chico, Ca., for the International News Service in Chicago and Des Moines (where she was bureau manager) and for The Panama American in Panama. She also wrote as a freelancer for the Herald in Tulia, Texas, the Plainview Daily Herald, the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, the Amarillo News-Globe and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She met and married Jarvis R. Zeeck in Panama when she worked there as a reporter. They returned to Texas. He was a farmer and later in his life operated a business selling airplanes and agricultural equipment in Mexico. She was an advertising copywriter for Buckner Advertising Agency in Lubbock and worked as a writer and associate director of the Texas Tech Office of Information Services. In 1980 she was named director of news and publications for Tech, serving in that capacity until her retirement in 1987. She was active in civic affairs in Plainview and Lubbock, including working for the United Way, the Girl Scouts, South Plains Food Bank, Texas Tech Museum, Roots Historical Arts Council, Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Lubbock Committee for Women and Contact Lubbock, Inc., a crisis hotline. She was an active reader and a member of Friends of Lubbock City-County Library and a local Great Books group. She also was a member of Lubbock's Twentieth Century Club. She was a longtime member of the Lubbock chapter of Association for Women in Communications. The family suggests contributions to the Bea Zeeck AWC Scholarship at AWC, 1310 Ave. Q, Lubbock, TX 79401. She was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Lubbock and a former member and elder at Grace Presbyterian in Lubbock and First Presbyterian in Plainview. She leaves four children, Dr. Phillip R. Zeeck (and the Rev. Ingrid) of Odessa, Katherine C. Zeeck of Sheridan, Wyo., David A. Zeeck (Valarie) of University Place, Wash., and James R. Zeeck (Paula McCabe) of Falls Church, Va.; five grandchildren, Erik Zeeck (Sharon) of Rogers, Ark., Fredrik Zeeck (Kacy), Phillip Zeeck of Ann Arbor, Mich., Michael Zeeck of Los Angeles, Calif.; and Daniel Spragens of Sheridan, Wyo.; and five great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held at 3 p.m. Saturday at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 48th and Salem, in Lubbock. Online condolences may be made at www.sandersfuneralhome.com