Richard John Beckman
July 2, 1930 ~ March 15, 2016
PINEHURST, NC
Richard J. Beckman
Richard J. (Dick) Beckman died suddenly Tuesday, March 15th, 2016 at First Health Moore Regional Hospital. Dick was born July 2, 1930. He was the son of the late Clarence and Helen Schmidt Beckman.
A celebration of his life is planned for later this year on Martha’s Vineyard, MA
A native of Staten Island, NY, he attended Curtis High School, graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL and received his Masters degree in geology from Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.
Dick was drafted during the Korean War and served in the Army at Big Delta, AK as an instructor in Mountain Climbing and Arctic Survival. He never lost his awe for the mountains. He skied, hiked and scaled mountains in the national parks across the country.
In 1994, after retiring from USG Corporation in Chicago, Dick and Nan moved to Pinehurst. They belonged to Pinewild Country Club where Dick happily pursued another love – golf.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years – Nan Brown Beckman, sisters Joan Beckman Downing of Staten Island, NY, Jan Beckman Fisher of Southern Pines, NC and 13 wonderful nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to FirstHealth Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation, 150 Applecross Rd., Pinehurst, NC 28374.
Powell Funeral Home & Crematory of Southern Pines NC is serving the family.
Online condolences may be made at www.PinesFunerals.com
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We are so sorry, Nan
Just know you are in our thoughts and prayers
You two had a fabulous life together and those
memories will sustain you.
I remember so clearly your wedding
and what a happy day that was.
Love always,
Sending you loads of love @Aunt Nan!
I have so many special memories of growing up in NC and spending time with Uncle Dick and you at your home, on the golf course, playing with the cannon. I am so thankful to have had you and he be such a p
To expand on Dick’s love for the mountains and the great outdoors, an instant thought is Boulder, Colorado on October 2nd, 2004, the morning of Julie and Mike’s wedding. During breakfast at the hotel, Dick and Nan suggested that we all (Dick, Nan, my Mom
Fond and Happy memories of you and Dick have always been vivid for me. You were my parents best friends and have been family to me since a child. From the first time meeting you in Ojai California (in the early 60’s)
I loved you both and had so much
Nan, Edie and I send our sincere sympathy to your loss. Dick was a
wonderful person and well liked by many in our community.
dear folks .. just read the obituary in the staten island advance and, of course, a flood of wonderful memories of days gone by flashed abruptly in front of me… .. my parents always said the beckmans , jones, carmers, hogans, schmidts, etc were the clos
Dear Nan,
Please accept my deepest condolences. Barbara Ackerman Wells (my aunt) alerted me to your loss.
All best wishes in this difficult time,
Bob Swoap
(son of Joan Sue Ackerman Swoap)
We will treasure the many wonderful memories of our truly ‘gregarious’ Uncle forever…
To Dick Beckman
I’m thankful for ‘¨the beautiful people ‘¨in the world ‘¨like you.
Beautiful faces are ‘¨those that wear’¨a friendly smile’¨that say, ‘I care.’Âť
Beautiful eyes are’¨ those that show,’¨the kindness and warmth’¨that
Our deepest condolences to you, Nan. A favorite memory from my childhood is of you and Dick after your return from the Grand Tetons, seeing your pictures of the grandeur of the Rockies, and thinking you were the luckiest gal on Earth to be married to such
Dick Beckman was not only my old shipmate and college roommate, was also my very Best Friend. We first met in our early 20’s when we were hired by Grace Lines, Inc. on a trainee program where we checked cargo being loaded on Grace Line ships at piers 56,