Beck was born in Sursee and, after finishing secondary school there, studied agricultural science at the ETH in Zurich and at the universities of Bern and Fribourg. In 1926 he obtained a doctorate from the ETH. He then taught at the Cantonal Agricultural Winter School and the Domestic Science School in Sursee and was its director from 1935 to 1960. He later headed the dairy station and managed various farms.

[1] This article bases on Mair, Toni. Grieder, Susanne. Das Landschaftsrelief – Symbiose von Wissenschaft und Kunsthandwerk. Mit Schweizer Reliefkatalog. Verlag hier+jetzt. Baden, Schweiz. 2006. S.155