Millard Joseph Beck Obituary (1939

Millard Joseph Beck Born on February 6th 1939 Died on December 3rd 2013 Millard Joseph Beck started his life two and a half months premature and was given his last rites when he was born. Because of this he felt that every thing in his life was a gift and a miracle. He was born to Francis and Loyd Beck. Francis was originally from the island of Kaui and had moved to Oahu where she met her husband Loyd. Loyd was an army cook from North Carolina and eventually supported his family by working at Hickam Air Force Base as a civil service mechanic. As a result, Millard's early childhood was on Hickam where the planes of World War Two surrounded him, and as a result he grew up loving military planes and had a great interest in history and war books. In his later years he could be often found dozing in front of the military channel with the sound on low. Millard later went to Roosevelt High School where he played basketball and also developed his artistic abilities. His senior year of high school he won the coveted Latham Foundation International Poster Contest and was awarded a fully paid scholarship to Honolulu Academy of Art. He went to the Academy for a year but was eventually drafted by the army and went to basic training in Monterey, California. It was in the army that he met his wife Shirley. After they were married, they lived in San Antonio Texas. Millard was later sent to Korea and Shirley moved to Hawaii to wait for him there. At heart Millard was a family man and when he returned from Korea he found reliable work with a company under Ameron in Honolulu so that he could start his own family. He had three daughters, Andrea, Shannon and Amber who he would come home every day to spend time with. He was a wonderful father, full of stories who spent quality time with each of his girls and encouraged them to be independent and creative. Millard was called to serve in the charismatic ministry in Hawaii and was very active with St. John's parish in Mililani. His heart was opened and his faith deepened by the beautiful people he met there. When he retired and left Hawaii he felt he left is soul family who were all members of the prayer community there and he talked of them often and fondly. Millard felt strongly that service was a way to serve God and so he chose to become involved in his parish in St. Lawrence's Catholic Church in Indianapolis and later at Holy Trinity Parish in Washington State. He had moved with his wife Shirley to be near his grandchildren Sydney, Jade and Lucas. He loved being a grandfather and especially relished baseball games with David, his son in law, and David's son Lucas. His beautiful life was cut short by illness and he will be deeply missed. His family will remember him is myriad ways such as the smell Choward's violet mints, the sight of ducks grazing near the waterfront or the experience of a brilliant sunset. His family sends wants to extend it's gratitude to the Central Kitsap Hospice for their care and especially the Fred Lothian center in Bremerton. Thanks also to Dr. Pat Borman, and Dr. Olivera of the Doctor's Clinic. Donations can be sent in his name to the Central Kitsap Hospice.