Obituary of Donald Clarence Beck

BECK, Donald Clarence – Age 97, of Bridgewater, formerly of Newburne. The families of Donald Beck are deeply heart broken by the immense loss of a truly respected and talented man. Donnie was a loving and devoted husband to the love of his life, Irene.

He will never be forgotten by his children and will live forever in their hearts. As a father, Donnie was a big-hearted man who would help his kids with jobs, big and small. His children will always cherish the vivid memories with him and the glorious adventures of their childhoods. Family get-togethers after church at the house on Sundays, would sometimes be heated discussions concerning the Sermon of the day, followed by hamburgers for lunch.

The children and grandchildren will laughingly remember wrestling on the floor with Donnie, the cruel suffers of being whiskered ‘til their faces hurt, messing up his hair, riding the bear and getting dumped off, tickling his feet and then running like heck, and of course everywhere he went, people enjoyed watching him kick the top of door arches with his long legs. It seemed to the children that this legend of a man would live on forever.

Donnie and Irene were married on October 3^rd, 1950, and inseparable for 74 more years after that. Donnie was a solid, hard-working man. He had many different occupations, back in those days, to provide for his family. He was a “Jack-Of-All-Trades”. As a young man at 9 years old, Donnie had his first pair of steer, which he used to haul logs out of the woods. In his teenage years, he cut wood with his father, Clarence, using a “swedesaw”. When Donnie was a younger man, still living at home, his two brothers, George and Murray, and two sisters, Shirley and Joan, formed an entertainment group consisting of acrobatic performances. Then later they joined with a neighbour, Tracey Langille, to complete their instrumental and singing group called The Beck Family. Donnie was the driver and Master of Ceremonies back in the 50’s.

 Donald drove a school bus for the New Germany School Board for 3 years. He was a force to be reckoned with, no one got away with any foolishness on his bus! He also spent two summers hauling kayak from the Indian Falls waters and transported them to the fish plant in Riverport. As a self-taught carpenter, Donnie was employed for one and a half years at Camp Gagetown, in New Brunswick, constructing houses. He built his own house, garage, and service station, selling FINA Petroleum and doing mechanical repairs for himself and the local residents.  As a welder, he fabricated machinery for his own use, and also dabbled in the Dept. of Highways, using his truck to haul road salt from Pugwash to the company department in Hebbville. Donnie’s love for the forest turned into a lifelong career, cutting wood, building a porter and driving an excavator. He hauled many loads of wood to the hardboard mill, in East River, and the Mersey Pulp Mill, in Liverpool, with his Big Mac tractor and trailer. Donnie employed many men in the surrounding area to cut wood for him. All the men enjoyed his loud laugh, wittiness, and wise-cracking shenanigans, while Irene did the secretarial work.

Donnie was a faithful, God loving man. He attended St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, in Newburne, where every Sunday he rang the bell and took up collection. He mowed the cemeteries and took on the construction task of the added-on Sunday School room and Kitchen. Donnie always loved to attend the Christmas Eve Sunday School Christmas concert, as well as the potluck dinners after the weekly church service was finished. It was a great afternoon catching up with his neighbours and friends. He loved his community and they all loved him. Wherever the work took Donnie, Irene and the family was never far behind. He was a loyal family man. Irene followed him wherever he went and stood by his side in whatever he did.

Besides his wife Irene, Donnie will be lovingly remembered by daughters, Debra Beck, and Donna (Greggory) Trethewey; sons, Jesse (Sonia) Beck, and Jeffrey (Debra) Beck; brother, Harold (Carol) Beck; grandchildren, Jordan, Adam, Matthew, Justin, Laura, Sarah, Mackenzie, Jonathan, Joshua, Kristy, Nicholas, Lucas, Caleb, Amber; 3 step-grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Donald was predeceased by son, Gregory (at infancy); sisters, Shirley and Joan; and brothers, George, Douglas, and Murray.

Donnie spent the past two years living at Ryan Hall nursing home, Bridgewater, and as always, Irene was by his side, never missing a day to comfort him and carry on their life together. He will be deeply missed and forever loved by his wife and wide-reaching family and friends. We are relieved knowing he is now at peace and his suffering is over.

Cremation has taken place. Donald’s family is invited to attend a Celebration of Life for Donald, on December 22^nd, 2024, at 2 pm, in St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Newburne. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Matthew’s Church, Newburne, or a charity of choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to Sweeny’s Funeral Home, New Germany.