ARLINGTON, Va. – Conor Beck, 27, passed away unexpectedly at his apartment in Arlington, Va., on Oct. 8, 2022. He was born March 21, 1995, at Maine Medical Center in Portland, one minute after his twin brother, Jackson, making him the youngest member of the family.

Conor attended K-12 in the South Portland school system, graduating in the top five of his high school class in June 2013. He attended Rice University in Houston, Texas, graduating in 2017, with a B.A. in Chemical Engineering. Part of the reason he chose Rice was because it was warm, and he wanted to get away from Maine winters. He eventually realized how much he loved Maine (though still not the winters).

While growing up, he enjoyed karate, track, hiking and camping with his dad, and playing video games with his brothers and friends. He considered himself (and was) an expert Nintendo Super Smash Bros. player.

In high school, Conor was an active member of the poetry club and debate team, and he started fencing, a sport he continued to enjoy while in college as a member of the Rice Fencing Club. He took it up again last year as a member of the Nova Fencing Club in Arlington, Va.

He worked as a Communications Project Manager for more than four years at the Institute for Justice in Arlington, Va. He loved his job and his life in the D.C. area. Conor enjoyed many activities with his friends, including hiking, camping, live music, following baseball (especially the Boston Red Sox), movies, indoor rock climbing, and discussing politics. Recently, he decided to take up cooking, a new hobby he was starting to enjoy. He also spent a lot of time texting family and friends and tweeting out his opinions on Twitter (@cb0321), where he described himself as “Libertarianish and way too curious. Originally from Maine. Rice grad. Loves rain, and baseball, though generally not together.”

Conor died from an apparent accidental drug overdose.

He is survived by his parents Matthew and Denise Beck; and brother, Evan Beck, of South Portland; his twin brother, Jackson Beck, now living in Brooklyn, N.Y.; grandmother, Martha Gorman of Portland; aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends from across the country. Really, too many to name.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Conor’s Life on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Irish Heritage Center, entrance at the corner of Gray and State Streets, in Portland. The family is collecting photographs and memories at – rememberingconor@gmail.com.

In lieu of flowers, please hug your people, donate to a charity in Conor’s name, take a hike, go to the ocean, or raise a glass

to his memory.

Copy the Story Link