Warren Irving Beckwith

“I think I am complete.” With these words, Warren Irving Beckwith, Sr., age 92, indicated his readiness to leave this world. A few days later, late in the evening of Saturday, August 24, Warren was released from the pain of this world, leaving behind pneumonia and other longer-term chronic illnesses. Warren had his share of health challenges at various points in his life – both his own illnesses and those experienced by two wives – but for nearly 93 years he persevered, keeping his good character and dignity until the end. Warren would have been 93 on September 11.

Warren was born in Little Falls, New Jersey, son of the late George Walton Beckwith and Carolyn Louise Elizabeth Umstadter. He was preceded in death by his 5 brothers: Walt, Kenny, Cliff, Art and Rob.

Warren graduated from Montclair High School, where he met his first wife, Alice Mary Ames. In 1942, he graduated from Rutgers University with a B.S. in mathematics and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa; he was also a long-time member of the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity (and The 1994 Alpha Chi Rho ‘Man of the Year’). Warren and Alice were married in 1942 after Warren graduated.

The day after graduating from Rutgers, Warren began work in the actuarial department at the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York City. When he retired in 1982, he was Senior Vice-President of Group Insurance and Pensions, with one thousand employees in the Administration, Claims and Sales departments reporting to him.

Warren and Alice had two sons: Warren Jr. (Renny) and Eric. Alice died in 1967 and Warren married Louise Phillips Brissie in1968. Warren and Louise lived many years in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, then in Mesa, Arizona, and finally in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Louise passed away this past March; Warren is being buried next to her in the Oxford Cemetery, Oxford, PA.

Survivors include: son Warren Beckwith, Jr. and wife, Barbara, of Wakefield, Rhode Island, and their daughters Laura and Melissa and Melissa’s husband, Brett, and their daughters, Millie and Jane; son Eric Beckwith and wife, Joan, of Merion Station, Pennsylvania, and their children Rahman Bibi and Noor; stepdaughter: Pamela Brissie Joswick and husband, Frank, of Bayfield, Colorado, and their children Nick and Sarah, and Sarah’s husband, Erik; stepdaughter Carol Brissie Martin and husband, Dirk, of Mountain Home, Arkansas; stepson Eugene F. Brissie, Jr. and wife, Lisa, of New Canaan, Connecticut, and their two daughters, Anna and Elizabeth.

Services will be held at the Oxford Cemetery in Oxford, Pennsylvania at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 29th.

Friends may make contributions in Mr. Beckwith’s name to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation: http://www.macular.org/howhelp.html#memgift

Local arrangements are by Kirby & Family Funeral and Cremation Services.