[Taken from a comment below. This will be placed here until after the celebration on Sept. 6]
Jennifer Winn
Posted August 17, 2024 at 8:55 AM
Dear Friends and Family,
Please join us in celebrating the life and legacy of Allan Beek.
Friday, September 6th at 4:30 pm
Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve,
2301 University Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660
Please arrive at 4:30 pm to walk the short journey along the path to the celebration site and be greeted. Remembrance Program will begin at 5 pm, followed by refreshments and continued reminiscing. We can stay as late as 9 pm to appreciate the beauty of the Back Bay and the footprints left by Allan.
You are welcome to share this invitation with others if you like.
VERY IMPORTANT: Please, please, please RSVP here! [SEE COMMENT BELOW]
We want to make sure we have a chair and refreshments for you!
Allan’s invitation.png
Relentlessly logical and eccentric, my maverick-conservative Republican friend Allan Beek died this month just before his 97th birthday. The tireless activist did so much in his near-century that I kept meaning to spend a few days with him and get half of it down, but too late. (And I hope to be able to add a lot to this story soon, if I hear from some of his old friends and colleagues!)
Back in 2004 the LA/OC area enjoyed a liberal talk radio station called “Air America” – it gave birth to pre-TV Rachel Maddow, pre-Senate Al Franken, Thom Hartmann, Stephanie Miller… and I listened to it every day. And Sheila Kuehl (left, as “Zelda” in the 1959 sitcom “Dobie Gillis”) was now a Democratic state senator, who’d written SB 840, a single-payer healthcare bill for California. And a statewide group formed with the goal of getting that bill passed, calling itself “Healthcare For All California.” And that group advertised for a few weeks on Air America, and I heard the ads and wanted to join up.
Not that I’m some nice caring guy who frets overmuch about people’s healthcare, but this seemed like ONE especially egregious instance of GREEDY CORPORATIONS (mostly Big Insurance & Big Pharma) robbing the public blind, causing unnecessary death and substandard health, and hoodwinking voters with scare stories while paying off politicians from both Parties. Right up my alley.
When I called, though, the HCA folks told me there was no Orange County chapter, “but maybe you could start one up, there’s one other guy in Newport Beach that’s interested in this” and that turned out to be octogenarian Republican ALLAN BEEK. We made an odd couple, but hey – we grew that OC chapter to nearly 200 activists, before I handed it off in 2008 to someone else when I got too busy with this blog and other things.
Allan was forever crafting new pamphlets, arguments, flyers, to try to convince his fellow conservatives that single-payer healthcare should be a conservative cause, as it would be (ideally) so much more efficient and prevent so much public wealth getting bled over to unnecessary parasitic corporations. And he was forever frustrated at their unreceptiveness. And the general public’s fear of making any changes in healthcare coverage, terrified their own tenuous situations could worsen. And a general (understandable) aversion to bureaucracies and taxes, even if it would save us billions in the long run. And the half-hearted support of Democrats who were more comfortable settling on half-measures like Obamacare.
Establishment Republicans treated Allan as a tiresome crank and gadfly, whose version of conservatism led him to agree more often with leftists than with them. I remember Matt Cunningham dismissing him as an “anti-business RINO,” which should be a badge of honor. He used to meet monthly at his home with a group of likeminded elderly neighbors who called themselves “The Nation Group” because they all loved that magazine – sure enough all the other members were Democrats or Greens.
Did I say Allan was “eccentric?” He drove a BRIGHT yellow Volkswagen bug, with the license plate “1234567.” With his lanky 6’4″ frame wedged in there, he reminded us of that Tall Man in the Small Car that Nelson ridiculed…
He joined my friends in other causes as well, such as protesting against the attempted sale and privatization of the OC Fairgrounds, showing up with one of his favorite signs that consisted simply of a gigantic “NO!” (Damn, I’ve got a picture of that somewhere…)
Clean Money & Paternal Segue
Another cause Allan was devoted to along with mostly (but not only) Democrats was cleaning up our political system, with transparency and other campaign reforms. So once around 2006 we made it up to Sacramento – me, Allan, Trent Lange of the Clean Money Campaign, and progressive Democrat David Sonneborn – to lobby for the DISCLOSE Act.
When we got to Senator Lou Correa, he was all genial, backslaps, changing the subject (I don’t think he ended up voting for our legislation) and he insisted on taking us on a personal tour of the Senate Chambers since we had driven so far! And once Allan Beek’s name was mentioned, and it was confirmed that he was indeed the son of the legendary Joe Beek, politicians and staff alike crowded ’round him to get him to autograph their own copies of his Dad’s 1942 masterpiece “The California Legislature.” HEY YOU GUYS, THIS IS JOE BEEK’S SON!!! Allan, sheepish and uncomfortable in the spotlight, signed all their books.
Yep, Allan’s dad Joseph Allan Beek, to whom Allan always measured himself and found himself wanting, was, according to Wikipedia, “the longest-serving Secretary of the Senate in California history (1919–68).” Also, according to Wikipedia,
Beek was perhaps best known for his role in developing Balboa Island. He established the Balboa Island Ferry, built roads and bridges, and was one of the island’s chief promoters. Beek was also Chairman of the California Small Craft Harbor Commission, was a published musician and composer, a World War II veteran, and a promoter of reforestation of hills surrounding Orange County.
“And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.“
(“A published musician and composer?” I don’t think Allan ever told me that, although he used to never miss my concerts.)
So that’s why Allan was featured in this 2012 Daily Pilot story, “Before there was a ferry, there was a rowboat.”
How many locals know that the very first Balboa Island ferry franchised by Joseph Beek was a rowboat?
Nearly 100 years has brought significant changes, and even though the rowboat has been replaced by a barge transporting both people and vehicles from the island to the Balboa Peninsula, the need to cross the channel is exactly the same as it was before the advancement of the electronic and technical age.
Last week on Balboa Island, the descendants of Joseph Beek, brothers Seymour and Allan Beek, addressed a crowd of some 80 guests who had come together at the Balboa Island Museum & Historical Society for a nostalgic look back at local lore…
And that’s why Tom Johnson’s awkwardly written obituary for Allan identifies him as an “elder statesman” … “of Newport Beach first family fame,” elaborating “Beek was a longtime, respected community activist who was especially involved in Still Protecting Our Newport (SPON) and other efforts that he believed had an adverse effect on negative growth, increased traffic, environmental concerns and unwanted change for Newport Beach.” (That’s the awkward sentence.)
Yes, it seems that Allan is more remembered in his community for fighting to conserve open space and neighborhoods than what I knew him for. Of course. Conservatism to Allan meant SAVING things – saving money, saving the environment, saving old neighborhoods’ character. Not what it means to some people.
I hadn’t seen Allan in a few years, and now and then I’d think, “I’ve got to catch up with him and write all about him before it’s too late.” Then he surprised me, showing up to my last concert just a few weeks before he died, and requested his favorite Beethoven Sonata, the “Appassionata.” SOLID CHOICE.
But now I remember – about ten years ago he and his lovely wife Jean talked me into learning a piece by Schumann – the “Fantasy in C Major,” they even gave me the sheet music – which turned out to be the most beautiful Schumann piano piece I’ve heard. I believe I’ll do it at my next concert in his memory:
Johnson adds, “In accordance with his wishes, Allan’s brain and body were immediately donated to the UCI 90+ Study.” That checks out. Let’s see, what else? I seem to remember he worked in aerospace before I knew him, like so many 20th-century OC men. Please, everyone who knew Allan, add to this in the comments! And, what a great American, what a great Republican. We need more like Allan Beek!
*The great Alan Beek. Allan was a man of integrity, lust for life and a driving determination to get things done. Indomitable is the call word here. The whole Beek family has been a driving force in Newport Beach politics for as long as we can remember.
For those that do not know – The Balboa Island Ferry, founded in 1919 is a Beek family endeavor. We can recall in 1964 when thousands of reveling teenagers and young activists screamed in horror at the closing of Balboa Island by Police Chief Glavas. Two uniformed police arrived on the Peninsula sued to take the ferry to Balboa Island. The throng of thousands screamed insults: “Rent-a-cop” with expletives of course. It got them so upset they hit the gas and ran both bikes in the Bay. A self-styled Jesus in swaddling clothes screamed with his wooden staff “We go to Balboa Island”. An overflow crowd got on two separate Beek Ferry Boats and landed on the banned Balboa Island. Within minutes thousands of kids were screaming “Party on Apolena”. Just as those retorts were rising 10 cop cars landed with baton-carrying cops and we had to dive over the nearest hedge, following Jesus and his staff.
The interesting aside is that Allan and his brother did not shut down the ferry!
We loved Allan, although we disagreed about the Annexation of the Newport Coast. We loved Allan because in retrospect he was amazingly wise and on top of that a very real human being.
Alan at 97 was probably no different than Alan at 87, 77, 67 or 37!
God bless the Beek Family and the memory of a true Icon in Newport Beach politics.
Love from Ron & Anna
*Alan Beek was a great icon in Newport Beach politics. The Balboa Island Ferry began in 1919 and was founded by Joseph Allan Beek. When the dad passed away in 1969….the elder son Seymour Beek took the helm. Allan Beek was a brilliant human being. He was a Computer engineer, Logistician and Environmentalist. He hated Traffic and hated the demise of the concept – Seven Villages of Newport Beach! He supported the Traffic Phasing Ordinance and fought like hell against the Annexation of the Newport Coast. In retrospect his vision was probably right. He fought against an International Airport at Orange County…..Allan had his own thoughts on just about everything and anything. We loved his honesty. We loved his straight forward ideas, thoughts and words. The Beek Family and Allan in particular have been vocal and direct in their concepts of what Newport Beach should be. Allan’s ideas will certainly stand long after his recent passing.
God bless the memory of Allan Beek and thank you Jesus for having the opportunity
to know him over the years.
Thank for your this. A lovely remembrance of a memorable man.
Pot Stirrer! Long time no see!
God Bless Allan and condolences to the Beek Family.
Allan and I were activist friends trying to clean up politics ever since 1973. He was a wonderful person and a pretty good tap dancer.
Shirley L. Grindle
*Shirley, it is the Winship’s and we still love you too! Your service to Newport Beach is also legion and legend!
Loved Allan. Never went to a community meeting about important things when he wasn’t there in his coat and tie.
I worked with him on many issues but the biggie was Climate Change. Craig Preston and I formed a climate group with big plans called Newport 100. We planned to get 100 people to speak for 3 minutes each at city council meetings and read Bill McKibben’s Eaarth, earth with 2 A’s. We recruited one. Allan Beek, who went online, discovered Citizens Climate Lobby and went to one of their meetings in Pasadena. Allan shared what he found and we jumped on the CCL bandwagon.
CCL had a plan!! Allan attended our monthly meetings regularly and helped us grow until he moved to new digs in Irvine. When the three of us joined CCL we were the 72nd National Chapter. Today there are over 450. We were the first OC Chapter and we grew to have 6 more Chapters; Long Beach, Brea, Santa Ana, Irvine, San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Bch. It all began with Allan.
I loved Allan also. What a fine human being. I learned so much from his experiences in professional, personal and volunteering experiences. I am still inspired by his passion and thoughtful ways to make the world better. Allan, I miss you and thank you for your life lived well.
I miss Allan Beek. I nearly always saw him at O.C. progressive groups’ meetings — The Nation Group, Progressive Democrats of America, Democracy for America, Health Care for All. “Just showing up is 80 percent of life” is the quip reliably attributed to Woody Allen (via Marshall Brickman, his co-writer of “Annie Hall,” in a joint interview, in August 1977, in The New York Times).
But Allan did far more than “just show up.” He was, especially, a fierce outspoken advocate for single-payer healthcare (a.k.a. “Medicare-for-All”). Allan was totally convinced, justifiably, that after tallying all relevant costs, it made far more sense than the current, contorted, Swiss-cheese monstrosity that passes for a healthcare “system”; would rid the latter of most of its waste; and would be far more economical before long. I’m sure he believed that anyone who failed to see that was either venal or obtuse — although he was too polite to say so explicitly.
Allan’s project for which I best remember him was to reduce the myriad reasons for single-payer to a formatted but readable 4-inch by 6-inch card. Many of us doubted he could do that successfully, but he did! One might cavil that Allen didn’t get far down into the weeds of how to transition to single-payer from that current Swiss-cheese healthcare monstrosity. But, heck, someone had to stay focused on creating those persuasive 4″x6″ cards; and that was Allan Beek.
And yet, Allan always remained a Republican. To him, all these causes SHOULD have been CONSERVATIVE ones, and he always held fast to what he believed Republicans SHOULD stand for.
If you have one of those 4×6 cards, Jonathan, we’d like to publish it. Alas, it’s still timely.
Yes! I want to see one of those 4″x6″ cards. We need it!
I’m sorry to say I did not know this gentleman, and what a loss for any of us that did not get to have the honor of knowing him. Sounds like a really wonderful human being.
Thanks for this article Vern.
Dear Friends and Family,
Please join us in celebrating the life and legacy of Allan Beek.
Friday, September 6th at 4:30 pm
Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center, Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve,
2301 University Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660
Please arrive at 4:30 pm to walk the short journey along the path to the celebration site and be greeted. Remembrance Program will begin at 5 pm, followed by refreshments and continued reminiscing. We can stay as late as 9 pm to appreciate the beauty of the Back Bay and the footprints left by Allan.
You are welcome to share this invitation with others if you like.
VERY IMPORTANT: Please, please, please RSVP here!
We want to make sure we have a chair and refreshments for you!
Allan’s invitation.png
Vern, I copied this into at the top of this story. Maybe a house ad too?
I was going to wait till a week before the event, and actually include the image and link.