The James F. and Ann W. Beck Charitable Fund was created because Jim and Ann Beck wanted to give back to the Parkersburg community. With no children at home, they found they were in a position to help community residents. Creating the fund while they are both still living allows them to be actively involved in recommending grants from the fund. The fund has provided grants to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Smoot Theater, and the Emmanuel Baptist Church.

Ann has lived in Parkersburg since she was a child. She attended Marshall University for undergraduate studies and West Virginia University for a graduate degree. Jim grew up in Allegany County, Maryland and graduated from the University of Maryland. He worked at DuPont in Charleston, West Virginia before going into sales with a small private company. While working with this company he moved to Keyser, West Virginia. At that time, his job covered both panhandles of West Virginia, Fairmont, Morgantown and Clarksburg as well as Maryland. After a couple of years, the company moved him to Marietta, Ohio, where he lived for about fifteen years. He then moved to Parkersburg and has lived here ever since. Ann worked first as an elementary teacher and then became a reading supervisor with the Wood County Board of Education. One of her co-workers introduced her to Jim.

In her spare time, Ann attends aerobics class and enjoys reading a variety of genres and, because it was a part of her career, children’s literature. She has also been a member of numerous organizations, including Altrusa, PEO, Phi Delta Kappa and the State Reading Association and has served on several community boards and is active in Emmanuel Baptist church where she has taught Sunday school and served on many boards. Jim enjoyed community service, worked with Habitat for Humanity and Rotary International, and performed volunteer renovations with his friends to such facilities as the Salvation Army Opportunity House and the local Boy Scout camp, Smoot Theatre and PACF. In addition, he has been active in the church choir of Emmanuel Church. He also enjoyed reading and preferred military autobiographies and mystery works. Both Jim and Ann enjoy traveling both locally and internationally

Jim and Ann have one daughter and two sons and seven grandchildren.