June 8, 1952 - January 1, 2019

Hamilton - Terry D. Beck, 66, passed away in the evening, Tuesday, January 1, 2019, at the Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital in Hamilton.

Terry was a loving and devoted husband who had been suffering from respiratory issues in 2018. He will be missed by many.

Terry Dean Beck was born in Honolulu Hawaii to Melton Dean Beck and Wilma Joy Tracy. Terry served in the USAF RegAF as a Sargeant E4  from 1971 to 1977 as a Psychiatric Clinic Specialist. Terry earned a Bachelor in Science in Psychology from Portland State University in 1981.

Terry's career path included hospital research assistant and senior therapist, TV cameraman, restaurant and bar management and sales. Terry was a product engineer for Hewlett Packard in Loveland Colorado for 8 years before he moved with his wife, Linda Beck, to Montana in 2004. They founded and operated NorthStar Home Inspection Services serving the real estate communities throughout western Montana for 14 years completing thousands of home inspections. He taught classes at the Bitter Root RC&D (Resource, Conservation, and Development) for first-time home buyers and was generous with both his time and knowledge.

Terry loved photography, downhill skiing, prospecting, flowers, and their black Labrador-mix, Seeley. Their home was always open to the dogs of family members who were working, traveling or deployed. Terry also loved all things relating to computer programming and was an excellent writer. He was quiet in demeanor but loved a good long conversation. His travels took him to Alaska, Hawaii, Asia, and Europe.

He is survived by his wife, Linda D. Beck of Hamilton, daughter Lisa Snow and granddaughter Ava Snow of Centerville Ohio, two brothers, Michael Beck, David Beck, sister Beth(Missy)Beck of Kaysville Utah,  step-daughter Melissa Powers and grandson Alex Mejia of Greeley Colorado, sister-in-law Jan King of Hamilton, and the Downing families of Spokane and San Diego.

A private celebration of his life will follow. Cards may be sent to P.O. Box 1099 Hamilton, MT 59840.

Among Terry's collections of photos, cards, and Southwest art, we found this quote by Joseph Epstein entitled Choices:

"We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our race or gender. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our time and history or the country of our birth or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing. We do not choose, most of us, to die nor do we choose the time or the conditions of our death. But within this realm of choicelessness we do choose how we shall live. Courageously or in cowardice, Honorably or dishonorably, With purpose or adrift. We decide what is important and what is trivial in life. We decide what makes us significant. With either what we do or refuse to do. But no matter how indifferent the universe may be to our choices and decisions, They are ours to make. We decide, we choose, and as we decide and choose So our own lives are formed. In the end, forming our own destiny is what life is all about."