John Dwight Beckwith

John was born to Walter Miller Beckwith and Flora Elenior Cole on March 4, 1953, in Gardiner, Maine. John grew up and went to school in Richmond, Maine. In high school, John “Buckwheat” Beckwith was an outstanding student-athlete earning himself the coveted Gerald Cloutier Memorial Award, among others, before graduating in 1972.

After high schooll John purchased land from his father in Dresden, Maine, to set up a home and start a family with his former spouse and his children’s mother, Pamela G. Beckim.

At the age of 25, John was in a horrible motorcycle crash that resulted in John breaking his back and amputating his right leg from below the knee. Defying all odds and with great strength and determination, John started his new journey with a prosthetic leg. He never let this hold him back from his goals in life. Soon after, John and Pam had two children, Jeffrey S. Beckwith, and Jennifer E. Beckwith Heppeard. As a parent, John always felt lucky to have one boy and one girl.

John worked for BIW of Bath, Maine, and Digital of Augusta, Maine, in the 1980’s. With one of John’s passions being sports he went on to coach his children and followed them through the Wiscasset Recreation Department in the late 80’s and early 90’s. He then went on to coach JV softball and boy’s JV soccer at the Wiscasset High School. Subsequently, he started his own lawncare business with his son, JB Yardworks, and was the assistant coach of the Richmond High School softball team in the early 2000’s, John retired in the summer of 2005.

John held many different titles in his lifetime but his most treasured was being a father. He loved nothing more than spending time with his adult children, Jeffrey and Jennifer. John also enjoyed being outdoors, gardening, watching wildlife, and long car rides with no destination. His favorite past time was to watch deer in the woods and fields for hours.

John is survived by his two adult children, Jeffrey S. Beckwith and Jennifer E. Beckwith Heppeard; his beloved Beckwith brothers Dale, David, Dean, Don and Tom; many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, and dear friends.

He was predeceased by his parents, Walter Miller Beckwith and Flora Elenior Cole; sister Priscilla Beckwith, and brothers Moody, Walter “Buster”, Dana, and Alex Beckwith,

Everyone who knew John fell in love with his big smile, big bright-blue eyes, big white beard, and even bigger heart. He will be deeply missed, but never, ever forgotten.

A Celebration of Life service will take place on Saturday, August 12, 2023, at 11:00AM at the Forest Hill Cemetery located at 355 Patterson Road, West Dresden, Maine, followed by an informal luncheon held at the Grange Hall located at 1-11 Alexander Reed Road, Richmond, Maine. Both are open to the public for all those who wish to attend.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in John’s honor to the Richmond and/or Wiscasset Recreation Departments, as it was one of John’s passions to see children get the opportunity to play and succeed in recreation sports.