By Diane Tessaglia-Hymes and Alice Walsh Green
The Town of Dryden —and the state of New York—lost an outstanding leader and dedicated volunteer on June 14, 2024, when Robert M. Beck (“Bob” to those who knew him) passed away after a brief and unexpected illness. He was 82. Bob’s skills and talents were varied and numerous. As educator, conservationist and environmentalist, leader, and skilled artisan, Bob touched the lives of many.
A native of Dryden, Bob was raised on a dairy farm. As a teenager, through long hours and hard work, he helped his father tend the farm, which left him with “memorable and invaluable practical experience.” After high school, he attended Cornell University where he got his bachelor’s degree in natural science, followed by his master’s degree in neurobiology and behavior with a focus on evolutionary and field biology.
As an educator, Bob taught people of all ages about science and the natural world. He taught biology, animal behavior, natural history, and general science at Cornell University and Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York, and at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York. He also taught science to middle-school students at the Montessori School of Ithaca (now the Elizabeth Ann Clune Montessori School of Ithaca) and trained docents at the Bronx Zoo. Later in life, he put his organization and fabrication skills into creating The Closet Pro, a local small business that he owned and operated for many years.
“He was so humble and unassuming that it was tempting for some to underestimate him,” said Gwen Beck, Bob’s wife. “He was an amazing teacher. He taught math, science, and computer studies to students in grades 4 through 8 while at Montessori—three subjects across a significant range of development—and he just shined! While at Montessori he developed a computer activity that a SUNY Cortland advisor found so innovative that she urged him to write up for publication. Bob took on challenges that I think most people would have run away from. He loved a challenge.”
A conservationist at heart and keenly aware of the need to advocate for the natural world, Bob dedicated himself to many local and state conservation groups throughout the years: He was a founding board member and the first executive director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust when it was established in 1989. He was instrumental in establishing Ithaca’s treasured Lick Brook Gorge as the Swedler Preserve at Lick Brook, which could not have happened without Bob’s many talents; he was assistant curator at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Library of Natural Sounds (now the Macaulay Library); he served on the Tompkins County Environmental Management Council where he helped develop the County’s award-winning Inventory of Unique Natural Areas; and he was a trustee of the Nature Conservancy Central and Western Chapter serving on various committees.
In 2007, Bob joined the Town of Dryden Conservation Board, which he chaired for two terms. “Bob’s knowledge and familiarity with the local ecosystems was a huge asset to the Conservation Board,” said Nancy Munkenbeck, a Conservation Board member. “He was immensely helpful in providing guidance for various project assessments and planning.”
Anne Clark, another Conservation board member added, “his even-toned and firm-but-gentle approach to getting agreement even where there was initially opposition contributed to his success as a leader. As passionate as he was about conservation and projects like the rail trail, he was effective because of his non-confrontational style.”
To many people in the area, Bob is best known for spearheading and successfully and skillfully leading the development of the Dryden Rail Trail.
“Bob always had a love for nature and the outdoors,” said Jason Leifer, Dryden Town Supervisor. “Soon after I became Town Supervisor, Bob approached me with the idea to build a rail trail. It was a great idea, and I was thrilled that the Town Board agreed to establish the Dryden Rail Trail Task Force in 2016, and later to appoint Bob as its Chair. I knew that if anybody could get this monumental task done, it was Bob. He had the knowledge and community connections needed to create this important public resource that will be enjoyed for generations to come. I only wish that Bob was still here to see it completed, but every time someone walks, bikes, or runs on the trail they can remember Bob and his contributions to the community.”
Under Bob’s leadership, the Rail Trail Task Force raised more than $3 million in grants and contributions and converted more than 85% of the 14.5-mile former railroad corridor into a multi-use recreational trail, transportation alternative, and community resource.
Another of his notable accomplishments was leading a 15-year effort to save a threatened Dryden natural area, Malloryville Bog, from proposed gravel mining, and then establishing the 308-acre parcel as The Nature Conservancy’s O.D. von Engeln Preserve at Malloryville. He chronicled the story in his book “The Journey at Malloryville Bog: Commitment, Teamwork and Tenacity in Defense of Land and Nature” which was published in 2013 and reissued in hardcover in 2024. For his efforts to protect the diverse Malloryville wetlands, Bob was honored with The Nature Conservancy’s “Friend of the Land” award and a 50thAnniversary “Hero” award.
This past October, the New York State Association of Conservation Commissions gave Bob its 2023 Marjory Sachs lifetime achievement award for environmental leadership. In nominating Bob for the award, Rail Trail Vice Chair Alice Walsh Green wrote, “Bob is a master at bringing together diverse teams of community members to work on environmental causes. He remains undaunted in the face of obstacles, opposition, and logistical challenges. His persistence and attention to detail are legendary. His warmth, patience, and dedication to environmental causes have inspired countless people to join in the work.”
“The town continues to grieve the loss of our friend, leader, and trusted advisor Bob Beck,” said Dan Lamb, Deputy Supervisor for the Town of Dryden, and Dryden Rail Trail Task Force Liaison. “Bob lent his invaluable time, talent, and tenacity to the town’s Conservation Board and the Rail Trail Task Force, where he served as chair. The town is grateful to Bob for being a role-model for community service, volunteerism, and leadership. The Dryden Rail Trail initiative would not be where it is today without Bob, but because of his leadership and the example he set, we know how to keep moving it forward.
A Celebration of Life in Bob’s memory is planned for 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 24, at the Dryden Lake pavilion, next to his beloved trail. Please share your memories of Bob on his obituary on the Perkins Funeral Home Website.
This article first appeared in the Town of Dryden digital newsletter. To receive future editions of the newsletter, sign up on the Town of Dryden website.
Dryden Rail Trail 