Berthoud Weekly Surveyor | Covering all the angles in the Garden Spot

Meet your neighbor – John Beck

By: Dan Karpiel | The Surveyor | October 06, 2022 | Local News

If you have been in Berthoud for any period of time, odds are you know John Beck. If, by chance, you do not happen to know him, it is certain that you have seen his influence around town. Beck’s life has been one of serving the Berthoud community. You name the venture; he’s been a part of it.

Beck has served on countless boards and commissions, including two terms on the Thompson School District (TSD) Board of Education and has chaired and helped run a nearly limitless list of charitable endeavors. He did those all the while thriving in two careers – simultaneously as a master pipe fitter and a Berthoud firefighter, – while also being a husband and father of three.

And even now, at age 85 years young, Beck has no interest in slowing down.

In just the last week, he spent “Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and a most of Sunday morning,” working Berthoud Oktoberfest, an annual event hosted by the Berthoud Area Chamber of Commerce, to which he has donated hours upon hours of service.

If that was not enough, Beck spent this past Monday with TSD Superintendent Dr. Marc Schaffer, representatives from the current school board and other invested parties, discussing current and future plans for the TSD, weighing in on various matters and helping rally community support and generate taxpayer feedback.

During his time on the TSD board, Beck was involved in the decisions to build Ivy Stockwell as well as Loveland’s Thompson Valley High, Walt Clark Middle and “a whole bunch” of elementary schools while also approving the initial design plans for the current Berthoud High.

“The taxpayers saw the growth in the area, and they supported us,” Beck said. Adding that there were contentious issues put before the board – much as there are today – during his two terms. “There were times people would come and chew us out, we usually agreed to disagree, but it was very enjoyable, it was important to see that you accomplished something for the community.”

And yet, in what has to be a twist of irony, Beck did not initially even want to move to Berthoud.

Born in northern Indiana, Beck and his family moved to Colorado after he completed third grade, settling on some land on the plains east of Denver after the end of the Second World War. Beck’s father, a master plumber, came to like the Berthoud area and thus opted to relocate his business here. John himself has never left, after more than 70 years.

Beck’s dedication to service in the Berthoud community, he explained, was born out of life lessons learned from his family, particularly his grandparents, the Smiths and elder Becks, who populated the upper Midwest.

“They were very hard-working, my grandfather gave land to the church, land for cemeteries,” Beck said, outlining how there remains a stretch of road that bears the name Smith in honor of his maternal grandfather.

Beck recounted a story his mother used to share of his grandfather racing his horse and buggy down the very stretch of road. “He would run the horse wide open, she could barely hold on,” Beck said, adding “maybe that’s where I get my speed.” Beck said he is still enjoying driving his classic Pontiac and “burning rubber,” adding with his signature chuckle, “I just had to have new tires put on, my kids probably think I’m crazy, but I’ve always liked old cars.”

His fun-loving aside, Beck is a serious man who worked for 42 years as a master pipefitter. “I was everywhere,” he remarked. Having been a part of the construction projects at numerous large business and infrastructure projects in Colorado from Broomfield northward, including multiple power plants, the IBM complex in Boulder County, Colorado State University, the University of Colorado, Amgen and DIA, among many others.

Beck also served with the Berthoud Fire Protection District, a full-time job in its own right, where he rose through the ranks over 32 years of service and held roles as both the Fire Chief and Training Officer. “That’s what I enjoyed most,” Beck said of serving as Training Officer, “because no body got hurt during my eight years.”

Beck relayed a story of a Thanksgiving Day celebration where he and his wife were hosting a large gathering of family and friends when a business on 2nd street caught ablaze. “I had to leave and ended up spending most of the day there,” Beck said, adding that such sacrifices came with the job.

Yet, despite his two careers and service as an elected member of the TSD Board, Beck said he was able to spend plenty of time with his greatest joy – his family.

Beck met his wife, Shirley (nee Schleiger), when he was a sophomore and couple married shortly after both had graduated from Berthoud High, where Beck shined as a football and basketball player. Initially renting a house on 4th street, the young family soon came to number five with daughters Teresa and Kellie and the eldest, son Greg. The Becks soon moved to a house in north downtown Berthoud, where Beck himself still resides and that is festooned with photos and mementos.

“Even with all I was doing, I always had time for my family,” Beck said. The family went camping frequently and Beck assured his three children were able to see the world beyond Berthoud, traveling to both coasts, visiting Washington, D.C., California and points in between including landmarks such as Yellowstone.

Beck his explained that wife Shirley, now deceased 15 years, was a saving grace of his life. “I was pretty onery in my younger days,” he said, “she really helped straighten me out.”

Beck explained how he and a few friends were one evening in their youth out looking for a place to camp and, despite warning signs and several layers of barbed wire, opted for a spot on what, they would find out the next morning, was a practice bombing range for the United States Air Force northeast of Denver.

An irate Colonel arrived in a Jeep, accompanied by several armed, supporting officers, and, “they chewed our (butts) out, I thought we were going to be put in cuffs,” he said. Beck and his friends immediately departed the area and, as Beck said, “we wouldn’t go back and do that again.”

Having seen so much of Berthoud for as long as he has – Beck says he still runs into at least two or three people he knows just being out and about around town – he understands the growth in the area but laments the loss of open space and farmland.

Beck said he would encourage any resident, those new to the town and generations-long residents alike, regardless of their age or lot in life, to give back, to keep Berthoud unique, to keep it thriving.

“I love this little town, it’s not so little anymore, but if you can do anything, if you can do two hours to help out, get to know your neighbor, try to promote the town,” he said. “Do what you can to keep it going.”

 

 

 

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