New Chief for Rose Tourney : Parade: Michael E. Ward becomes acting president following last weekend’s death of Delmer D. Beckhart.

Michael E. Ward, vice president of the Tournament of Roses, has become acting president after last weekend’s death of Delmer D. Beckhart, and plans for next year’s Rose Parade and Rose Bowl football game are proceeding normally, officials said.

Beckhart, 59, who died after a brief illness, became president this year during a difficult time for the tournament, which oversees the annual New Year’s Day events in Pasadena.

The tournament has been under attack from black groups that claim it has practiced racial exclusion. Beckhart, an architect, was instrumental in appointing 107 new members to the organization in May, almost half of them from minority groups.

“Del was a good leader, very progressive,” said William Flinn, assistant executive director of the tournament. “He dealt with things in a timely, organized way, which had a lot to do with the kind of work he was in.”

On assuming the presidency, Ward, owner of a towing service, said, “The largest commitment is the commitment of time for travel. That poses some hardships.”

But he said the seven other members of the executive committee have offered to share some of those duties. Ward is scheduled to become president of the organization next year. As for the future of the tournament, the 32-year member of the organization, said:

“Del made a lot of inroads on the question of diversity. We will carry on what he started. His ‘Fantastic Adventure’ (the theme for the 1994 tournament) will go on.”

Beckhart’s death marked the fourth time that a tournament president has died in office. Carl H. Hoelscher died in 1974, before seeing his theme of “Heritage of America” on New Year’s Day 1975, with baseball great Hank Aaron as grand marshal.

Other presidents who died in office were John J. Cabot in 1971 and Charles Cobb in 1934.

The tournament will have a memorial service for Beckhart at 6 p.m. today at Tournament House, 391 S. Orange Grove Blvd.