Donald L. Beck

Don was a proud Army Veteran of the Korean War having served in Okinawa, Japan in the 65th AAA Battalion. Don’s first real love was music and he aspired to be a professional musician. Fate and circumstance intervened. Thus, following in his father’s footsteps, Don made his mark on the air freight industry by serving in many management capacities over his life. One of his proudest achievements was heading his own company, Action Delivery of Riverside, California. Music never left his heart and he played guitar, piano, keyboard and harmonica beautifully throughout his life.

Don lived a life unlike any other, filled with adventures that spanned from hopping a freighter at the tender age of 15 from New York to Miami all the way to having Oreos and instant coffee with Gloria Swanson in her living room. One of his grandchildren’s favorite things about Papa Don/Grandpa were the stories he told. He could wax poetic for hours about hanging out in a bar with John Wayne, or the time his muffler fell off in Tony Curtis’ driveway only to have Mr. Curtis himself assist in the repair. Papa Don was even present at Tony Bennett’s first wedding and stole the show by wearing his Army uniform.

If you knew Don, even for a moment, you instantly knew two things: he was hilarious and he was the quintessential Brooklyn Boy. He could make you laugh until you gasped for breath and never hesitated to go “off color” to get the laugh. He was also the first person to tell another person to take a long walk on a short pier if he felt it needed to be said.

A huge fan of trains, wolves, Phantom of the Opera and Cher, nothing made him happier than the company of a pretty lady. However, all the pretty ladies in the world paled in comparison to two that stood high above the rest – Sharon (Susie) Good and Gloria Smith. Sharon, mother to his only two children, was a most precious person in his life and, though there were rocky times, he loved her even beyond her death in 2008. His marriage to Gloria was cut short upon her death in 1995 but she remained his sweetheart until his own recent departure.

Don (Daddy) ended this journey and began the next in the wee hours of April 6, 2023. At his side were his two loving and devoted daughters. Dad was preceded in death by his father, Sydney Beck and mother, Leah Stepper, as well as his beloved Sharon and Gloria.

He is survived by daughters Laura Christine Smith of Duluth, GA and Jennifer Leigh Yurkon of Dallas, TX, sons-in-law Lance Smith and Andrew Yurkon, grandson Garrett Ross Smith of Boulder, CO, grandson Zachary Michael Wheless of Riverside, CA, granddaughter Alyssa Kate Wheless of Aliso Viejo, CA and grandson Grayson Chandler Smith of Duluth, GA, sister Eileen Schwartz of Orlando, FL and cousins Marty Mehr, Allan Mehr and Trudi Mehr Esposito as well as several amazing nieces and nephews.

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