Good News at Noon's Mr. B celebrates 92 years

Homeless shelter celebrates founders birthday

Gene Beckstein waits for his birthday party to start Tuesday night at Good News at Noon. Beckstein, 92, previously credited his late wife Marjorie, seen in the photo portrait, with coming up with the idea for helping the homeless. - photo by NAT GURLEY

0723mrB 6 — Gene Beckstein waits for his birthday party to start Tuesday night at Good News at Noon. Beckstein, 92, previously credited his late wife Marjorie, seen in the photo portrait, with coming up with the idea for helping the homeless. - photo by NAT GURLEY

The Good News at Noon homeless shelter was full Tuesday with men, women and children gathered to celebrate founder Gene Beckstein’s 92nd birthday. Mr. B, as he is known, sat in his wheelchair at the front of the lunch hall while a winding line of children came up to him one by one, handing him roses and wishing him happy birthday. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Gene Beckstein,” Thomas Ramirez said.