George Beckwith

George Sutherland Beckwith, 87, passed away January 15, 2026 in Joplin, Missouri, after a life defined by independence, precision, and a lifelong love of learning.

George was born in Mount Kisco, Westchester County, New York, on September 11, 1938, to Sutherland Alsop Beckwith, sheriff of Litchfield County and state adjutant general, and Charlotte Hawthorne (Coopernail) Beckwith. He grew up in Litchfield with a childhood that was anything but ordinaryby his early teens, he was beginning to pilot airplanes. He attended military school, graduating at seventeen, and entered the United States Air Force in 1955, serving with quiet dedication.

After returning to civilian life, George earned a degree in mathematics from the University of Massachusetts in Boston, later teaching before building a long career as a mechanical engineer. He loved fast cars, and in the late 1950s and early 1960s raced automobiles at Lime Rock Park and Watkins Glen. A lifelong runner, he also completed the Boston Marathon. At Hix Corporation in Pittsburg, Kansas, his ingenuity led to patented machine designsaccomplishments he rarely mentioned, preferring usefulness over recognition.

George shared much of his life with his wife, Bertha Lois (Woodward) Beckwith, the love of his life. Together they moved to the Midwest in the 1980s to pursue ranch life in El Dorado Springs, Missouri, later settling in Frontenac, Kansas, and eventually Goodman, Missouri, where many cherished family memories were made. After Bertha's passing in 2012, George continued on with quiet resolve, maintaining close ties to family while increasingly valuing the calm of a private life.

During his later years, he enjoyed morning runs, regular visits to the YMCA, near-daily meals at the Red Onion Café, and long hours with a book or his computer. He loved classical music, history, gadgets, and strategy games, and could often be found watching educational programs or working meticulously on his car in well-worn coveralls. A man of wit as well as wisdom, he often made it a point to bring smiles to othersespecially service workers when dining out.

Proud of his roots, George came from an esteemed Northeastern family and took quiet pleasure in his lineage. In a personal touch, he once recorded in his family notes that he especially loved automobiles, with a fondness for foreign makesa small testament to the man he was.

He spent nearly 15 years in the company of his beloved cat, Henrietta, a faithful companion who brought comfort and joy to his daily life. He remained well-informed and engaged in the events of the world and was a practical man who never lost that glint of humor in his eye. Despite being a private person, he loved his family and those around him deeply. 

George was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Bertha Lois Beckwith (Woodward); his parents, Sutherland Alsop Beckwith and Charlotte Hawthorne Beckwith (Coopernail); and his sisters, Anne Louise Blake (Beckwith) and Margaret Elizabeth Parsons (Beckwith).

He is survived by his daughter, Wendy Justice of Weir, Kansas; his son, Howard Chappius of Wheaton, Missouri; his son, Franek "Chuck" Linkovich of Joplin, Missouri; his niece and great-niece, Jennifer Blake and Eloise of Greenfield, Massachusetts; his granddaughter, Robyn DeWitt and her husband Levi of Webb City, Missouri; his grandson, Ethan Chappius of Wheaton, Missouri; and his grandson, Eli Chappius of Newton, Kansas.

A celebration of life will be held at the Red Onion Café in Joplin, Missouri on February 28, 2026, at 2:00 pm. George will be remembered for the unexpected ways he enriched the lives of those around him, for the warmth he shared on his own terms, and for the lasting gestures that left a mark on all who knew him.