Joseph Thomas Beckman 1927 - 2005

BECKMAN, WALTERS, RAEF

Posted By: Deb (email)
Date: 8/14/2012 at 09:12:42

Joseph Thomas Beckman, 78, of Dodgeville, died at 4:15 a.m. Saturday, August 27, 2005, at his home.

Born March 23, 1927, in Burlington, he was the son of Edward John and Cecelia Julia Walters Beckman. On June 22, 1950, he married Edith Lucille Raef in Dodgeville.

Mr. Beckman was a farmer. He lived on the family farm most of his life and later owned the farm that was in the family for 124 years. He also worked at F&M Bank in Sperry and was the director of Sperry Store, where he also ran the mill.

He was a 1945 graduate of Sperry School and a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dodgeville. He was in the Navy Seabee's 144th division on Guam during World War II. He was also a member of the Des Moines County Board of Supervisors. He was a trustee of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dodgeville. He was a member of the Sperry School Board, the Salvation Army Board, the VFW, the American Legion, the Farm Bureau Board, the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, and the Eagles. He was a Young House trustee and director of St. Mary's Cemetery in Dodgeville for 30 years. He was also was a member of the Conservation Board and served on the United Way.

Survivors include his wife of Dodgeville; two sons, Joseph Timothy Beckman of Phoenix, and Gary Robert Beckman of Iowa City.; one daughter, Sandra K. Henderson of West Des Moines; one brother, Harold T. Beckman of Council Bluffs; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, four infant sons, one sister, one brother, twin granddaughters and one great-granddaughter.

Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery in Dodgeville.