William Beck

1937 - 2021

William (Bill) Beck William (Bill) Beck was born August 25, 1937 in Martin, Minnesota and died September 19, 2021 in Woodacre, California. He graduated from high school in Le Sueur, Minnesota. Then he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and graduated from Hamline University in Saint Paul, MN in 1959. After several quarters at the University of Minnesota, he joined the United States Navy. He was stationed on board the USS Platte (AO-24) and in the Western Pacific. He was released from active duty in 1964, with a rank of lieutenant. He enrolled in the University of California at Berkeley in 1964 and received a Master of Arts degree with a major in art and subsequently a Master of Architecture degree from UC Berkeley. He taught several semesters in the UC Berkeley Art Department. He was a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and worked at various venues in the Bay Area as a stage carpenter, model maker and set designer. He was employed by Lucas Films Industrial Light and Magic for approximately 12 years and worked on movies for Warner Bros., Universal Pictures and Disney, among others. He was a member of the Redwood Empire Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute, and provided plans and models for the residential construction and remodeling in the Bay Area. He was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 7, 1998 in San Rafael, CA. He was preceded in death by his wife, Atsue Nakamura Beck, born September 15, 1932 in Fukuyama, Japan. She died on October 23, 2004 in Woodacre, CA. She survived a fire bombing of her hometown, and after World War II, began working for United States occupation forces. She met William Beck while an employee of the U.N. Naval base in Yokosuka, Japan. They were married on August 30, 1965 at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan. Although not a member, Atsue attended many church functions, and following her death on August 30, 2006 she was baptized, confirmed and initiated, and sealed to William Beck at the Oakland Temple. He was also preceded in death by his father, Robert Beck, who died October 13, 1978 in Minneapolis, MN; his mother, Dorothy Edith Dornberg Beck, who died March 20, 1996 in Minneapolis, MN;and his sister, Dorothy Louise Beck Robertson, who died October 13, 2006 in Portland, Oregon. He is survived by his brother, George Allen Beck and his wife Julie Anderson Beck; five nieces: Becky Robertson Sirois, Bonnie Robertson-Talbot, Barbara Robertson Horner, Carolyn Holliday and Amy Sellman; and nephew Hideaki Kobayashi. He will be laid to rest at Valley Memorial Park Cemeteryon September 24, 2021along with his wifeat noon. The memorial service will be onSeptember 25, 2021 from 12 noon until 1:30 p.m.at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 220 N. San Pedro Rd., San Rafael, CA.