Circa 1974

The Hotel Jerome spent a number of years as an office building awaiting an investor willing to invest enough to bring her back to her old glory.  In the early 1970’s while still in the service of providing office space for local businesses, the Hotel Jerome’s second floor overlooking Main Street was home to Thomas Wells Associates (Architects).  In the summer of 1974 I was offered a chance to work for Thomas Wells and his associates as an office assistant and “architect in training.”  Tom was a very successful local architect and his staff included the likes of Gerry McCarthy and a young, up-and-coming architect by the name of Greg Otto.

Greg was one of those people every young man wanted to be like. He was boyishly handsome, had a beautiful wife and always knew exactly what to say for every conversation.  He was an avid outdoorsman with a passion for fly fishing.  He was still in the service of our country as a member of the Colorado National Guard when I first got to know him.  Once a month he would report for duty and was assigned to a post near Boulder, Colorado.  As an architect he was still honing his skills under the direction of Messer’s Wells and McCarthy.

His childhood dream was to someday own a Porsche 911, and in 1974 he realized that dream.  He was very proud of his new car and loved to give me rides home after work to share in the fun.  

During the summer months Greg invited me to join him on numerous outings to the various rivers in the valley despite our 10 year age difference.  He loved to teach me the art of fly fishing.  He also got me interested in tying my own flies and selling the extras to “Chuck Fothergill’s Outdoor Sportsman” store which was located in an old building that was once a local bowling alley.  It was eventually replaced by the building that is now Boogie’s Diner.  Years later, Katie Stratford continued to teach me fly tying techniques and I became pretty good at it.  Chuck as well as Jim Ward were hard to impress; but, as I got better they ended up selling more of my flies.

Nearing the end of that summer Greg headed off to his “weekend warrior” duties.  Prior to Greg’s departure, he gave me the gift of my own rod and reel.  I was a dinner guest at his house that night and little did I know it would be the last time I would ever see him.   Two days later, I was awaken early that morning by my mother with very sad news.  Greg had been killed in a car accident near Boulder.  As the story goes, he broadsided a vehicle when it failed to stop at a stop sign on a backcountry road.  Greg and the passenger in the other car were killed instantly.  The driver of the other vehicle walked away from the accident with barely more than a scratch.

Greg’s wife remained in the valley for many years following Greg’s death.  She eventually remarried to one of Greg’s best friends and the last I heard they were living in Carbondale.  Greg would have been pleased to see her so happy.

35 years later I still think of Greg often, especially whenever I go over the Castle Creek Bridge, it was one of his favorite places to stop and watch the river below.

1956 – 1983

Long before I came into the picture the house on Hopkins belonged to my great grandmother, Elizabeth Rockefeller Beck.  Yes, she was somehow related to that other Rockefeller family back east but I am not sure of the connection.  Elizabeth was married to John A. Beck and together they lived in the house up to and beyond John’s passing.  The house was originally built by them in the early 1880’s.  As she was getting on in years she asked my father to live next door so he could help care for her.  At the time my parents were living in a trailer house up by the original Lift One.  The move would be a simple process and set the stage for more moves of its kind in the years to come.

With the trailer located on the lot next door my father built a nice entryway, a boardwalk from the street and it was “Home Sweet Home.”  This move took place in 1956 not long after my oldest sister, Cindy, was born and less than a year from the birth of my older brother.  The family dog was a German Sheppard by the name of Archie. He, too, was the start of a very long run of Sheppards we would have as pets over the years.

The original house had an “outhouse” as well as a second building on the lot that served as a wash room and coal shed.  Inside plumbing to include a laundry room and bathroom was still a few years off.  Wood and coal burning stoves kept the house warm in the winters and the one in the kitchen served as a stove for cooking year round.  The house provided all of the necessities of life and was comfortable to say the least.  The front entry had two doors at the time, one for entry into the living room and a separate door directly to the left for access to the formal dining room where most of the family gatherings took place.

A few years later, my father purchased the home from his dad after Elizabeth’s passing.  By then his family had grown to three kids with another one, me, on the way.  He added an addition onto the back that provided a full bathroom and mudroom.  With three bedrooms upstairs there was plenty of room for his growing family.

Eventually, the trailer next door was removed and the lot was sold off.  A house was built on the far side of the lot that was home to the McTarnahans and later a temporary home for Peter and Barbara Guy while their house was under construction.  The Molly Gibson Lodge was eventually built on the property next door, sometime around 1968.

I came into the picture in 1960 and lived in the house until my graduation from college in 1983; although, it was not always on Hopkins Street. (See related story)

Ever since I started writing my adventures, people are always asking me things like:  How are you related to Paul?  Is Neil your dad?  Are you the same Becks as the Distillery Henry A. Beck from the “olden days?”  Was Pam your sister? (I especially like that one.)  You can’t be Cindy’s brother, you have red hair.  And the best one, “Are you new to the valley?”

In order to make a point and perhaps give my stories a little credibility, I want to give a brief history of my family.  I have to admit that I have not spent enough time researching the topic to include everyone from the day we arrived in the valley; but, I will do my best and ask for forgiveness from my family for any errors or omissions.  So here goes… 

I have always said I am the 5th generation of Becks to live in the valley, and this will certainly prove that point.  So, how come I cannot get Pioneer plates?  Well, I guess that question is best asked in another forum.

John A. Beck came to Aspen sometime around 1882, give or take a year.  He was from New Diggins, Illinois.  The big city back then was Galena (kind of like Raleigh if you lived in Mayberry).  John decided to take John B.L. Soule’s advice and “Go West young man…”  I know, by now you are thinking I have my history all wrong, that was Horace Greeley who said that.  Well, check your history books.

John and his young wife, Elizabeth Rockefeller Beck came to town and set up shop as local grocers.  Not long after that John A.’s dad and Uncle “Willie” followed him to town.  Stick with me now, we are already up to two generations in the valley; three more to go until you get to me and my generation.

“John A” not only set out to establish a life in the Aspen Valley but his desire to have a family was also in his plans.  He and Elizabeth had Alton C. Beck as their first born, and not long after that Henry A. Beck was brought into the world.  Generation three was now in the valley.  By the end of Alton and Henry’s teen years “John A. Beck Fancy & Staple Groceries” was to be transferred to the boys and soon became “Beck Brother’s Groceries.”  The store was located in the Wheeler Opera House building for most of the years it was in business.

Alton and Alma Beck had three children; Glenn, Paul and Sandra.  At the same time Henry and Pansy had two kids; Shirley and Neil.  OK, if you lost count that was the origin of the fourth generation.  And if you were paying really close attention, that was the second generation to be born in the valley.

Both Paul and Neil spent their childhoods growing up around the family business in the grocery.  They even took their turns delivering groceries twice a day by horse team around town.  For some of Aspen’s residents this was the only company they got each day.   They also worked as stock boys, baggers and even butchers.  During the quiet years of the depression most of the groceries were purchased on credit and paid for after the economy turned around.

Glenn Beck moved away to pursue his career eventually having three kids of his own.  Paul had two kids and I am not sure if Sandra ever had any children.  Paul’s kids remain in the valley to this day as do Glenn’s two daughters.  At the same time my dad married Pamela Worden and they had four kids of their own.   I am the youngest of the four preceded by Cindy, David and Debbie.  Now for those of you keeping track, that is five generations of Becks of which three generations were born in the valley. 

My sisters still live in the valley although not within the city limits of Aspen.  I have hopes of returning to the valley to raise my kids within the next few years.  My sister Debbie gave birth to her three kids in Aspen; so, we are really up to six generations, four born in the valley.

For a little more clarity:

• Shirley Beck married Nelson “Jr.” Smith and they had 3 kids.
• Debbie Beck married Michael Kendrick and they have 3 kids.

 And now to answer the questions:

• How are you related to Paul?  He is my first cousin once removed.
• Is Neil your Dad? Yes
• Are you the same Becks as the Distillery Henry A. Beck from the olden days?  Nope, that was Hilder Anderson’s father.
• Was Pam your sister? No, my mother
• You can’t be Cindy’s brother, you have red hair.  OK
• Are you new to the valley? If you compare my family to the Ute Indians, yes.