Owner of Beck car dealerships in Palatka dies after contracting COVID-19

3 years ago 301

Carl Beck, 81, owned 5 automotive dealers successful Palatka

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For much than 30 years, Carl Beck owned 5 automotive dealerships successful Palatka and employed much than 340 people.

Close friends of the 81-year-old told News4Jax that helium died successful a infirmary Wednesday day aft helium contracted the coronavirus. They said Beck was afloat vaccinated.

“We were truthful amazed and helium fell precise quickly,” said Wayne McClain, Putnam County Chamber of Commerce chairman.

The Rev. Karl Flagg, who is the erstwhile politician of Palatka, prayed with Beck successful the infirmary days earlier helium died. The 2 were longtime friends.

“I needed to beryllium determination to commune with him and springiness him assurances that everything was going to beryllium alright,” Flagg said.

Breck Sloan, who is the Beck Automotive Group president, says Beck’s passing greatly impacts the full Putnam County community.

“It would beryllium precise hard to find idiosyncratic who has not been touched oregon affected successful immoderate mode -- Carl and his philosophy, his standard, if helium brought thing to our community, it was a higher standard,” Sloan said.

A modular that, according to the radical who knew him, included donating wealth to assorted causes and organizations.

“He’s fixed millions of dollars to this community,” McClain said. “He’s touched the lives of astir everybody successful Putnam County.”

“Many of the donations, contributions and scholarships and sponsorships that Carl Beck supported -- nary 1 knew but him and God,” Flagg said.

Sloan said Beck took attraction of his employees and expected his employees to besides springiness backmost to the community.

“He ever said to marque definite our radical springiness back, not conscionable instrumentality from the community,” Sloan said.

Beck’s adjacent friends besides said helium played a large relation successful the revitalization of downtown Palatka. He was said to person helped struggling radical wage their owe oregon assistance nonstop their children to college.

He besides loved animals and would often donate wealth to the section carnal shelter.