Derek Foster Beck passed away on December 22, 2025, at his home in Houston, surrounded by loved ones. He was born on July 1, 1969, in Dallas, Texas, to Robert and Gloria (Mauldin) Beck.

Derek was a devoted husband, father, and friend. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Amy (Latimer) Beck; his son, Ian Beck, and fiancée, Malena Collom; his daughter, Abigail (Beck) Hayes, and son-in-law, Joshua Hayes; his brother, Byron Beck, and sister-in-law, Laurie Beck; as well as numerous beloved family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Robert Beck and Gloria Beck.

Although born in Dallas, Derek was raised in Sherman, Texas, where he attended elementary through high school. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1991 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry, and was a proud member of the Corps of Cadets in both Company A-2 and Squadron 2. In 1996, he earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Sam Houston State University. After graduation, Derek worked as a Park Ranger and Forester in East Texas before beginning an almost 30-year career in commercial real estate brokerage in Houston. In 2015, he founded his own full-service commercial real estate firm.

Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Derek answered the call to serve and received a commission in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves. Over 20 years of service, he earned the titles of Emergency Management Specialist and Incident Management Specialist, holding positions such as Incident Commander, Planning Section Chief, Liaison Officer, Agency Representative, and Situation Unit Leader. His deployments included major responses to Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, Deepwater Horizon, Genesis River Bayport Collision, Hurricane Harvey, Area Command District 8 for the COVID-19 Pandemic, and Hurricane Ida. In 2024, Derek retired as a Lieutenant Commander.

Growing up on Lake Texoma, Derek developed a lifelong love of sailing. He became a member of the Houston Yacht Club in 2002, where he enjoyed club festivities, regattas, and served on the Board of Trustees for seven years. Derek also loved cooking—especially barbecue and gumbo, tailgating at Aggie football games, and taking quick trips in the family travel trailer. Most of all, he cherished time with family and friends. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the Houston Yacht Club, 3620 Miramar Dr, Shoreacres, Texas 77571. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project (support.woundedwarriorproject.org) or the Gary Sinise Foundation (donate.garysinisefoundation.org).