Terry L. Beech

Terry Beech, 79, passed away unexpectedly on July 25, 2022. A native of Murrysville, PA, he is the son of Phyllis and Alvin Beech. Terry is survived by his loving wife of 32 years, Patti, their two daughters, Tristan and Leah; his son, Justin, and grandson, Cameron; and his sister, Sandy. Terry also leaves countless friends, former students, as well as devoted customers and trainees who were also his friends. Terry lived life to the fullest. A kind-hearted, easy-going, and happy guy, he always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. Terry was a true renaissance man with a vast knowledge of a wide range of subjects and many different skills – from understanding the physics of how things work – to sailing by the stars. After receiving his Bachelor's in Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, he won a National Science Foundation award that enabled him to achieve a Master of Science in Teaching from U. of Wisconsin. As a science teacher for many years, he brought science alive for his students with creative, hands-on experiments. Of his skill as a teacher of sharpening services, one trainee from Los Angeles, David Kohn, said that Terry changed his life more than any other man by not only guiding him to a successful new career, but giving him a new lease on life.During the 80's and 90's, Terry worked as a multi-media instructional designer for Fortune 1000 companies. When the dot-com bust brought work to a close, Terry was looking for a new career. Patti pointed out that he loved to sharpen knives, so he determined to become expert at knife sharpening and launched Sharp-Quick. Beginning in 2005, he provided knife sharpening services for a diverse clientele from farmers market visitors to chefs, gardeners, and commercial businesses, all from his custom 1970 VW van. The job was tailor-made for someone with Terry's science and teaching background, and perfectly suited to his outgoing personality. Not only did he provide a great service, but he made lifelong friends of customers and dozens of trainees who went on to start their own businesses.Terry was a foodie; every morning, his first thought was about what he would make for dinner. He spoiled his family with creative and healthy meals including the famous "Terry's Chicken." He was a sailor, astronomer, world traveler, bike rider, banjo player, and music lover who loved to sing. Every year, he attended music fests in New England with his sister, Sandy, brother-in-law Ray, and his old college buddies. Terry amassed a collection of over 2,000 CDs, which he used to make compilations each year of favorite tunes for friends, ranging from bluegrass to 70s rock to Americana.A car freak and mechanic, Terry owned over 25 vehicles including a 1963 Daimler, SP250 Dart (a favorite of the Queen of England), 1984 Maserati, BMW GS 1100 motorcycle, Citroen 2CV, 1967 Jaguar 3.8S, and finally his signature 1970 VW van. Above all, Terry cherished his family. After 10 years together, Patti proposed to Terry and stated her desire to have two girls, a dream that was fulfilled when Tristan and Leah were born. Terry was devoted to his children: he would tutor Tristan and Leah in math several times a week, and he was always available with help and advice.Terry leaves the Santa Cruz community in good hands for sharpening services: his trainees offer sharpening at the Santa Cruz Certified Farmers Markets and the Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Market at Cabrillo College.Contributions in Terry's memory may be made to one of his favorite charities such as the Teen Kitchen Project, Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry & Kitchen, Second Harvest Food Bank, and the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County.