Donald Francis Beck
1926 - 2018
VETERAN
Donald Francis Beck, owner of the Alpine Christmas Tree Farm, passed away April 24, 2018.
Donald was born October 15, 1926, and from the very start lived a miraculous, beautiful life. He was a "blue baby" and not expected to live (his birth certificate read "Baby Boy"). But live he did. He was the youngest child of Loy and Ethel Marie Bates Beck and enjoyed a simple, happy childhood with his brothers, Keith and Max.
As part of the Greatest Generation, Donald lived through the Great Depression and served in World War II. He was trained in cryptography by the United States Army, then shipped to Hawaii and two weeks later, boarded a ship for the invasion of Japan. While he was in the Pacific, the atomic bombs were dropped and the war ended. Donald finished his war assignment sending and receiving secret messages for the occupation Army.
Four months after returning home, he met the love of his life, Emily Gubler. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on April 16, 1948. If you saw them together, you knew he was absolutely devoted to her for 63 years.
Soon after their marriage, Donald took an apprenticeship at Geneva Steel as a brick mason, which became his 39-year profession.
Donald was a proud, fourth-generation Alpine resident, living in Alpine nearly all of his 91 years. He served eight years on the city council, several years as the chair of the zoning commission and twice as chair of the Alpine City Beautification Committee, winning national recognition for their work. He later collaborated on and built several monuments around Alpine.
Donald could build anything. But of all the things he built in his life, the Alpine Christmas Tree Farm gave him the most joy. He and Emily began planting baby trees in 1962 and he enjoyed sharing this Christmas tradition with so many families for more than 50 years.
Following the example of his parents, Donald spent his life in service to those around him. He cherished his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his testimony of the Gospel. He faithfully served in many callings, including a member of the Alpine Stake high council and in a bishopric. He deeply appreciated the kindness and kinship of those in his ward over the past several years.
Donald was the father of three children, 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren who will all greatly miss their patriarch, his charm, the twinkle in his eye, and his love. He was preceded in death by his sweetheart, Emily; his parents; and a brave great-grandson, Miles. He is survived by his three children: ShaRee (David) Fotheringham, Laralee (David) Lind and Randy (Teri) Beck.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Chapel Location: Alpine Stake Center | Alpine, Utah
Arrangements: Warenski Funeral Home
Interment: Alpine City Cemetery
Original obituary published by:
© Warenski Funeral Home | April 2018
1926 - 2018
VETERAN
Donald Francis Beck, owner of the Alpine Christmas Tree Farm, passed away April 24, 2018.
Donald was born October 15, 1926, and from the very start lived a miraculous, beautiful life. He was a "blue baby" and not expected to live (his birth certificate read "Baby Boy"). But live he did. He was the youngest child of Loy and Ethel Marie Bates Beck and enjoyed a simple, happy childhood with his brothers, Keith and Max.
As part of the Greatest Generation, Donald lived through the Great Depression and served in World War II. He was trained in cryptography by the United States Army, then shipped to Hawaii and two weeks later, boarded a ship for the invasion of Japan. While he was in the Pacific, the atomic bombs were dropped and the war ended. Donald finished his war assignment sending and receiving secret messages for the occupation Army.
Four months after returning home, he met the love of his life, Emily Gubler. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on April 16, 1948. If you saw them together, you knew he was absolutely devoted to her for 63 years.
Soon after their marriage, Donald took an apprenticeship at Geneva Steel as a brick mason, which became his 39-year profession.
Donald was a proud, fourth-generation Alpine resident, living in Alpine nearly all of his 91 years. He served eight years on the city council, several years as the chair of the zoning commission and twice as chair of the Alpine City Beautification Committee, winning national recognition for their work. He later collaborated on and built several monuments around Alpine.
Donald could build anything. But of all the things he built in his life, the Alpine Christmas Tree Farm gave him the most joy. He and Emily began planting baby trees in 1962 and he enjoyed sharing this Christmas tradition with so many families for more than 50 years.
Following the example of his parents, Donald spent his life in service to those around him. He cherished his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his testimony of the Gospel. He faithfully served in many callings, including a member of the Alpine Stake high council and in a bishopric. He deeply appreciated the kindness and kinship of those in his ward over the past several years.
Donald was the father of three children, 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren who will all greatly miss their patriarch, his charm, the twinkle in his eye, and his love. He was preceded in death by his sweetheart, Emily; his parents; and a brave great-grandson, Miles. He is survived by his three children: ShaRee (David) Fotheringham, Laralee (David) Lind and Randy (Teri) Beck.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Chapel Location: Alpine Stake Center | Alpine, Utah
Arrangements: Warenski Funeral Home
Interment: Alpine City Cemetery
Original obituary published by:
© Warenski Funeral Home | April 2018
Donald Francis Beck
1926 - 2018
VETERAN
Donald Francis Beck, owner of the Alpine Christmas Tree Farm, passed away April 24, 2018.
Donald was born October 15, 1926, and from the very start lived a miraculous, beautiful life. He was a "blue baby" and not expected to live (his birth certificate read "Baby Boy"). But live he did. He was the youngest child of Loy and Ethel Marie Bates Beck and enjoyed a simple, happy childhood with his brothers, Keith and Max.
As part of the Greatest Generation, Donald lived through the Great Depression and served in World War II. He was trained in cryptography by the United States Army, then shipped to Hawaii and two weeks later, boarded a ship for the invasion of Japan. While he was in the Pacific, the atomic bombs were dropped and the war ended. Donald finished his war assignment sending and receiving secret messages for the occupation Army.
Four months after returning home, he met the love of his life, Emily Gubler. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on April 16, 1948. If you saw them together, you knew he was absolutely devoted to her for 63 years.
Soon after their marriage, Donald took an apprenticeship at Geneva Steel as a brick mason, which became his 39-year profession.
Donald was a proud, fourth-generation Alpine resident, living in Alpine nearly all of his 91 years. He served eight years on the city council, several years as the chair of the zoning commission and twice as chair of the Alpine City Beautification Committee, winning national recognition for their work. He later collaborated on and built several monuments around Alpine.
Donald could build anything. But of all the things he built in his life, the Alpine Christmas Tree Farm gave him the most joy. He and Emily began planting baby trees in 1962 and he enjoyed sharing this Christmas tradition with so many families for more than 50 years.
Following the example of his parents, Donald spent his life in service to those around him. He cherished his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his testimony of the Gospel. He faithfully served in many callings, including a member of the Alpine Stake high council and in a bishopric. He deeply appreciated the kindness and kinship of those in his ward over the past several years.
Donald was the father of three children, 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren who will all greatly miss their patriarch, his charm, the twinkle in his eye, and his love. He was preceded in death by his sweetheart, Emily; his parents; and a brave great-grandson, Miles. He is survived by his three children: ShaRee (David) Fotheringham, Laralee (David) Lind and Randy (Teri) Beck.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Chapel Location: Alpine Stake Center | Alpine, Utah
Arrangements: Warenski Funeral Home
Interment: Alpine City Cemetery
Original obituary published by:
© Warenski Funeral Home | April 2018
1926 - 2018
VETERAN
Donald Francis Beck, owner of the Alpine Christmas Tree Farm, passed away April 24, 2018.
Donald was born October 15, 1926, and from the very start lived a miraculous, beautiful life. He was a "blue baby" and not expected to live (his birth certificate read "Baby Boy"). But live he did. He was the youngest child of Loy and Ethel Marie Bates Beck and enjoyed a simple, happy childhood with his brothers, Keith and Max.
As part of the Greatest Generation, Donald lived through the Great Depression and served in World War II. He was trained in cryptography by the United States Army, then shipped to Hawaii and two weeks later, boarded a ship for the invasion of Japan. While he was in the Pacific, the atomic bombs were dropped and the war ended. Donald finished his war assignment sending and receiving secret messages for the occupation Army.
Four months after returning home, he met the love of his life, Emily Gubler. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on April 16, 1948. If you saw them together, you knew he was absolutely devoted to her for 63 years.
Soon after their marriage, Donald took an apprenticeship at Geneva Steel as a brick mason, which became his 39-year profession.
Donald was a proud, fourth-generation Alpine resident, living in Alpine nearly all of his 91 years. He served eight years on the city council, several years as the chair of the zoning commission and twice as chair of the Alpine City Beautification Committee, winning national recognition for their work. He later collaborated on and built several monuments around Alpine.
Donald could build anything. But of all the things he built in his life, the Alpine Christmas Tree Farm gave him the most joy. He and Emily began planting baby trees in 1962 and he enjoyed sharing this Christmas tradition with so many families for more than 50 years.
Following the example of his parents, Donald spent his life in service to those around him. He cherished his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his testimony of the Gospel. He faithfully served in many callings, including a member of the Alpine Stake high council and in a bishopric. He deeply appreciated the kindness and kinship of those in his ward over the past several years.
Donald was the father of three children, 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren who will all greatly miss their patriarch, his charm, the twinkle in his eye, and his love. He was preceded in death by his sweetheart, Emily; his parents; and a brave great-grandson, Miles. He is survived by his three children: ShaRee (David) Fotheringham, Laralee (David) Lind and Randy (Teri) Beck.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Chapel Location: Alpine Stake Center | Alpine, Utah
Arrangements: Warenski Funeral Home
Interment: Alpine City Cemetery
Original obituary published by:
© Warenski Funeral Home | April 2018
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MARRIED APR. 16, 1948
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