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Sam Beck, 85, died on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019 at Trinity Elms Health and Rehab.

His declining health brought him in and out of the hospital during 2019. A celebration of his life will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 22 at Calvary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem. The family will receive friends prior to the service between 2 and 3 p.m. A private burial will be held on Monday, Dec. 23 at Westlawn Gardens of Memory in Clemmons. The Rev. Truett Williams Sr. officiated.   

Memorials: at his request to Calvary Baptist Church for Student Missions/Camps.

Condolences: www.hayworth-miller.com.

He was born Nov. 20, 1934  in Forsyth County to the late Noah Winfield Beck and Nannie (Teague) Beck. He is also preceded in death by: 5 brothers, N.W. Beck, Jesse Beck, Henry Beck, Clifton Beck, and Bobby Beck; and 2 sisters, Wilma (Beck) Smith, and Nancy (Beck) Mickey.

Survivors: his wife of nearly 60 years, Glenda Ann (Easter) Beck; his daughter, Joanie (Truett) Williams; his son, Steve (Dawn) Beck; his twin grandchildren who have been the joy of his life, Truett (Hannah) Williams Jr., Kaleigh (Ben) Beason; and his new great-granddaughter, Emory Laurel Beason; and a  younger brother, Jimmy Beck.

He graduated from Gray High School in 1952. As a senior he was the most valuable football player in the Piedmont Bowl and received the Brevard Hoover Award in 1953. He attended Lees-McCrae Junior College on a football scholarship where he played quarterback and punted for two years. He served 3 years in the U.S. Air Force as a military police specialist. He loved his country and proudly displayed the American flag at his home. He also played football as a quarterback for Torrejon Air Force Base in Madrid, Spain, and traveled Europe playing other military bases. After his military service, he furthered his education at Appalachian State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education in 1966.  Known to many athletes as Coach Beck, he first started his coaching and teaching career at Mineral Springs Junior High from 1966-1969, then on to West Forsyth High School where he was head baseball coach and assistant football coach. He was named the 4A Coach of the Year his first year at West Forsyth in 1970. He later coached at Forbush High School where he was head coach in football and baseball for four years. He was named Teacher of the Year at Forbush. He coached and taught at Woodland Christian School starting football and baseball teams there. He went on to Davie High School where he was assistant football coach, and then on to newly created North Davie Junior High where he was named athletic director, teaching PE and coaching football and baseball. He was proud of the booster program there. For 30 years he loved coaching and taught student athletes to work hard and show respect for others. He was elected to the Winston-Salem Forsyth County High School Hall of Fame for Football and Coaching in 1995.  He was a gardener and spent much of his time outdoors in his yard. He loved Southern Gospel music. He also loved being a member of Calvary Baptist Church for nearly 44 years. He taught Sunday School for 12 years, mainly to seventh grade students. In his later years, he will be remembered for working in his yard, driving his truck, wearing a baseball cap, and sharing about his family, especially his grandchildren.  Bradley Jones, his neighbor, documented on film the life of Sam Beck through interviews with him, his family, and former athletes.