A Family Affair

Ted and Ann Beck have always believed in the value of education, and personal relationships. Ted’s extensive career began as a teacher at St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire, and concluded with 10 years in the English department at the University of Nebraska.

When the couple moved to Glasgow, Virginia, 31 years ago to be closer to family, an old classmate of Ted’s introduced the couple to Dr. Daniel Becker. Becker started caring for the Becks and, when Ann needed more specialized care, Becker enlisted the help of his wife, neurologist Madaline “Linn” Harrison.

The Becks appreciated Becker’s holistic approach, his deep connection to his patients, and his conviction that personal relationships between physicians and patients enhance patient care.

“He is a great doctor and a good man,” says Ted. “Ann and I are attached to Danny and Linn, and we are grateful for their care and friendship.”

In honor of the thoughtful medical care that they and others received from Becker, the couple established the Ann M. and T. Edmund Beck, Jr. Bicentennial Professorship in General Medicine. Similarly, to honor Harrison’s clinical research and to ensure future generations could learn from her experience, they also established a Bicentennial fellowship in neurology.

The Becks were able to take advantage of a special matching opportunity at the University, which doubles the impact of their gifts. The Bicentennial Professors and Scholars Funds are an opportunity to bring some of the best minds in healthcare to UVA. Once here, these dynamic researchers and clinicians will heal patients, prepare the next generation of healthcare providers, and move medicine and nursing forward through their pioneering research. The funds give stellar faculty and young doctors the chance to pursue their best ideas—ideas that benefit families like the Becks.

“People matter,” Ted explains. “We believe the world needs more doctors like Danny and Linn. Supporting medical education is the right thing to do.”