4/28/1933 ~ 3/14/2023
Allan Leon Beck, 89, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away peacefully on March 14, 2023, at his home in Orem, Utah, surrounded by his family just short of his 90th birthday. Allan was born on April 28, 1933, to Earl Hafen Beck and Ruth Olsen Beck in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. He was one of five children, Earl Duane (passed at birth), Allan, Eldon, Earlene and Ruth Ann.
He grew up in Indianola, Utah, and was always very active and loved spending time outdoors, hunting, fishing, and playing football, basketball and track. He graduated from North Sanpete High School in 1951, and afterwards attended the University of Utah in 1952. He served in the Utah National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve, spending time overseas in Taiwan. Allan was very proud to be a Veteran and had a great love for our nation’s flag.
He married his high school sweetheart Marian Ruth Nielson on June 4, 1953. They were married 25 years and were blessed with four children, Mark Allan, Malinda, Marianne and Matthew.
Allan had a love for learning and could build or fix anything he put his mind to. He built the first workable television in the area at Indianola in 1949. It is now in the Fairview Museum. He installed the first TV in Mt. Pleasant at Herman Beck’s home before TV stations moved their transmitting stations high on the Oquirrh Mountains west of Salt Lake City.
He founded Beck’s TV, a local business in Mt. Pleasant in 1958. His son Mark Allan took over the family business in 1980 and it continues today as a retail home furnishings business on Main Street.
In January 1958,
he engineered and installed Sanpete County’s first television translator relay
site, located at the base of the mountain east of Mt. Pleasant. This translator
station made TV possible for Mt. Pleasant and surrounding towns, and is still
functioning today.
He held many offices in the Chamber of Commerce, including president. He was a
charter member of JC’s and the Sanpete County Search & Rescue and held
several offices in both organizations. He served as Mayor of Mt. Pleasant
(1978-1980) and worked hard to make improvements to the city, including the
municipal sewer system and settling ponds west of the airport. He also was able
to get the airport improved from gravel to a paved landing surface.
On July 23, 1980, he married the love of his life Betty Moulton Harvey at “The Lake” in Indianola, Utah, and increased his family by two children, Craig and Katie Sue. They were later sealed in the Provo Utah LDS Temple on April 28, 1984. They made their home in Orem, Utah.
They loved spending time in Indianola, and created a Hideaway there, constantly improving and caretaking the pond on the mountain (“The Lake”) and considered it their home away from home. Their family, including children and grandchildren, have come to love The Lake and the beautiful surroundings that Allan has been instrumental in creating.
Allan also worked at Wells Distributing and then Ryan Distributing, both in Salt Lake City, as Service Manager of their appliance division, and later worked at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center (Provo) in the Engineering Department, fixing and maintaining all the electronics in the facility. He retired from Intermountain Healthcare in 1996 so that he could spend more time in his favorite place, Indianola.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Moulton Beck and 6 children, Mark Allan (Laura) Beck, Malinda (Scott) Overman, Craig (Carolyn) Harvey, Marianne (Patrick) Davis, Matthew (Becky) Beck, Katie (Eric) Peterson, 24 grandchildren and 60 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Monday, March 20, 2023, 11:30 a.m. at the LDS chapel on 500 South 600 West Orem, UT. Viewing 9:00-11:00 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will be in the Mount Pleasant City Cemetery. Many thanks to Dignity Home Health & Hospice team, especially Markae, Marisela and Melissa who took great care in assisting Allan in his final days.
What a great history of sanpete county. A great man and person. The kindness he had for people radiated to all he came in contact with. I remember growing up and the kindness and trusting that he had for others. In the old day people didn’t have access to credit cards and he was known to bring merchandise to a person’s home and let him pay them over time. My parents knew his grandpa and grandma and always talked highly of the BECK’S. Didn’t matter which one. Thanks to the kindness to my family. So sorry for your loss a great man that won’t be forgotten. Prayers and love to you all
Condolences to the family, Allan was a great friend to my parents and mentor to me, a lot of fond memories of his help building my soap box derby and our trip to Akron, always enjoyed his company and will miss talking to him.
I’m so very sorry for your loss
Condolences to the family. I grew up with Allan while living in Indianola. He and his family were great neighbors. I worked with Allan putting up hay. He was a fun man to be around. He brought my family our first TV by installing a very tall TV antenna so we could get reception. He did this at no cost to us and was experimenting to see if better TV reception could be gotten in Indianola valley.
We kept in touch with each other throughout our lives. Allan was a GOOD man. Rest in piece.
Alan and Betty have been our close friends for many years.
We loved going out to dinner with them. They were always so cheerful and happy, and loved by the whole community.
We will surely miss him.
Dear Betty and family,
So sorry to hear about Allan’s passing. We know you all miss him terribly. Jim just let me know about the on-line services today at 11:30 mst. Hope to see you then.
Love Kim and Tassoula
Gene and Argie love the Beck family. Argie married Gene and found new friends.The Beck family are dear to the heart. Looking forward to meeting and visiting on the next steps of eternity. Love from Argie and Gene Shiumway.