Businessman and jazz musician Frank Beech dies

A well-known Black Country businessman and musician has died months after undergoing triple heart bypass surgery.

Frank Beech, of Bealeys Lane, Bloxwich, spent more than 30 years as director and secretary of family business F B Beech & Son, based in Elmore Green Road, near to where he grew up. The petrol station closed in 2000, shortly after Mr Beech and his younger brother Peter retired.

Mr Beech was well known for playing the clarinet and saxophone in Ken Rattenbury's Band during the 1950s, making several live broadcasts from the BBC studios in Broad Street, Birmingham.

The self-taught musician, who later led his own jazz and dance band underwent triple heart bypass surgery at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital, in August last year.

After he was discharged he went to stay with his nephew Neil Beech and family, in Old Road, Stone, where he died on Christmas Eve, aged 84.

Father-of-three Neil, 50, who runs an architects firm with wife Jo, said: "He had no children of his own but was like a second father to us. He was interested in so many things. He won awards for his music. A lot of people in the music world said he was the best they had come across."

Jo, 45, said his death had come as a shock and he would be deeply missed. She said: "He was due to move back home and was looking forward to it. He was a real gentleman and had a great sense of humour."

Mr Beech's nephew Tim Beech, 46, of Telford, said Frank, who never married, was a gifted man with a sharp mind.

His funeral will be at Streetly Crematorium on January 13 at 11.30am.

By Lisa O'Brien