JACKSONVILLE, Ill. -- Richard Bix Beiderbecke, of Jacksonville, Ill., passed away peacefully Sunday afternoon, Sept. 5, 2004, at Passavant Hospital in Jacksonville after a lengthy battle with cancer. His family was with him throughout his ordeal. Bix was born Dec. 11, 1930, in Davenport, the son of the late Charles Burnett and Mary Neelans Beiderbecke. He is survived by his wife, Judith (nee Andrews), daughter Elizabeth (husband Carl) Hart, of Springfield, son Chris, of Moline, Ill.; and three granddaughters, Jana, Lauren and Olivia Hart. He was preceded in death by a brother, Charles Hilton Beiderbecke. Bix, nephew of the legendary jazz musician Bix Beiderbecke, attended the University of Iowa where he received his B.S. in psychology. He was a member of Beta Theta Pi social fraternity and was captain of the Iowa Fencing Team for two years. During the Korean War he served as a Sergeant with the 25th Infantry Division. He worked in advertising and marketing for several years for John Deere in Davenport and Mexico City, Mexico, for Massey Ferguson in Toronto, and Allied Farm Equipment in Chicago, where he met his future wife, Judith. He then went to work for Lundia-Meyers, in Decatur, Ill., Davenport, and then to Jacksonville in 1975. In 1981 he went to work for DECCA with the State of Illinois, retiring in 1991. Bix's wit was unchallenged and his friendships legion. He attended a stag weekend for approximately 45 years, in the Ozarks every June, with a group of friends who had been in kindergarten together. He almost made it all the way to appear on the T.V. show "Jeopardy" if he had only known something about "hard rock". He loved people, cacti, stamp collecting, reading, traveling, the stock market, his animals, and above all, the Iowa Hawkeyes. He and his wife had traveled extensively since their retirement. A celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11 at the First Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville. The family will meet friends following the service. His cremains will be interred in Oakdale Cemetery in Davenport. Memorials are suggested to Jacksonville Theatre Guild. Cody and Son Memorial Home is in charge of arrangements.