Marva Black Beck (born November 21, 1944) was a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

member of the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. As of the 2010 United States census, each member represents abou ...

for District 57.

Personal life

Marva Black was born on November 21, 1944 in

Centerville, Texas Centerville is a city in Leon County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 905 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Leon County. Centerville was so named as it is near the geographic center of Leon County. History Centerville ...

. Beck grew up in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

's 5th Ward, she graduated from San Jacinto High School She married Melvin S. Beck II on December 4, 1970 in

Harris County, Texas Harris County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas; as of the 2020 census, the population was 4,731,145, making it the most populous county in Texas and the third most populous county in the United States. Its county seat is Houston, ...

, they had 3 sons James, Rick, and Trey. Beck attends First Methodist Church of Centerville and is the church treasurer. Becks son Rick died in a boating accident and her son James died in a motor vehicle accident. Becks husband Melvin died of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

on March 13, 2004, six months after the death of her son James. Trey works in the construction industry in

Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

Political career

Beck represented District 57 in the

during the 82nd legislature. While in the state house she served on the Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee and the Natural Resources Committee. She also served as chairman of the Lee County Republican Party.

Elections

2012

Beck went up against challenger

Trent Ashby Trent may refer to: Places Italy * Trento in northern Italy, site of the Council of Trent United Kingdom * Trent, Dorset, England, United Kingdom Germany * Trent, Germany, a municipality on the island of Rügen United States * Trent, Californi ...

in the Republican primary. Ashby raised over 300,000 most from in district donors, Beck raised ~180,000. Beck claimed that Ashby raised taxes on the Lufkin ISD School Board to increase the salary of the superintendent, Ashby and other Lufkin ISD trustees claimed this was false.

2010

Beck unseated 12 year Democratic incumbent

Jim Dunnam James Robert Dunnam (born December 12, 1963) is an American state politician and prominent trial lawyer from Texas. He was a Democratic Party (United States), Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, representing the 57th Distric ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beck, Marva 1944 births Living people Republican Party members of the Texas House of Representatives