Alvin Beckett
Feb. 10, 1916 - Apr. 26, 2017
Davis, CA
Alvin Clyde "Al" Beckett, age 101, died peacefully at home in Davis on April 26, 2017. Al was born in Carney's Point, NJ, the only child of Robert and Virginia Beckett, and grew up in Penns Grove, NJ. After working odd jobs, from washing dishes to taking shorthand notes at the Lindbergh kidnapping trial, he graduated from Trenton State Teacher's College in 1937.
After graduation, he taught at North Arlington High School and continued his education part time, getting a master's from Columbia. Thus began a teaching career that lasted almost 50 years, interrupted only by service in the Army in WWII. Even the Army found his teaching skills useful. He taught typing and small arms, as well as working on payroll operations for the Pacific Theater at Fort Ord. He also taught at Monterey Union Adult School, where a student brushing up her shorthand caught his eye. He waited to ask out Lyda "Betty" Stogner until after the class had ended, but then he didn't waste time. Al and Betty were married in 1946. He returned to New Jersey and switched to teaching at Monmouth Junior College. He resumed work on his doctorate at NYU. Two daughters were born there: Laurel (1947) and Bonnie (1949). When he finished his doctorate, the family moved back to California, where he taught at San Jose State from 1955 until his retirement in 1982.
Teaching was Al's calling, his passion, and his gift. He worked all his life to give women, international students, and students of color extra encouragement and opportunities to make up for social and institutional barriers. Al won the Outstanding Professor award at San Jose State, but the true measure of his impact is in the many students whose lives he enhanced. He stayed in touch with them via frequent letters and visits. Some came from as far as NYC to celebrate his 100th birthday.
Al was a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. After retirement, he kept busy with his stamp collection, garden, extensive correspondence, and travel with Betty. He and Betty moved to Davis in 2004. Betty died in 2014, taking much of the light from his life. Al is survived by daughters Laurel (Dan Tancredi) and Bonnie (Rolfe Larson), granddaughters Heather Buckser (Craig) and Charlotte Hoffmann, and great-grandchildren Alan and Lilac Buckser.
Donations in his memory may be made to the San Jose State College of Business Scholarship Fund.
Published in San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on May 12, 2017
Feb. 10, 1916 - Apr. 26, 2017
Davis, CA
Alvin Clyde "Al" Beckett, age 101, died peacefully at home in Davis on April 26, 2017. Al was born in Carney's Point, NJ, the only child of Robert and Virginia Beckett, and grew up in Penns Grove, NJ. After working odd jobs, from washing dishes to taking shorthand notes at the Lindbergh kidnapping trial, he graduated from Trenton State Teacher's College in 1937.
After graduation, he taught at North Arlington High School and continued his education part time, getting a master's from Columbia. Thus began a teaching career that lasted almost 50 years, interrupted only by service in the Army in WWII. Even the Army found his teaching skills useful. He taught typing and small arms, as well as working on payroll operations for the Pacific Theater at Fort Ord. He also taught at Monterey Union Adult School, where a student brushing up her shorthand caught his eye. He waited to ask out Lyda "Betty" Stogner until after the class had ended, but then he didn't waste time. Al and Betty were married in 1946. He returned to New Jersey and switched to teaching at Monmouth Junior College. He resumed work on his doctorate at NYU. Two daughters were born there: Laurel (1947) and Bonnie (1949). When he finished his doctorate, the family moved back to California, where he taught at San Jose State from 1955 until his retirement in 1982.
Teaching was Al's calling, his passion, and his gift. He worked all his life to give women, international students, and students of color extra encouragement and opportunities to make up for social and institutional barriers. Al won the Outstanding Professor award at San Jose State, but the true measure of his impact is in the many students whose lives he enhanced. He stayed in touch with them via frequent letters and visits. Some came from as far as NYC to celebrate his 100th birthday.
Al was a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. After retirement, he kept busy with his stamp collection, garden, extensive correspondence, and travel with Betty. He and Betty moved to Davis in 2004. Betty died in 2014, taking much of the light from his life. Al is survived by daughters Laurel (Dan Tancredi) and Bonnie (Rolfe Larson), granddaughters Heather Buckser (Craig) and Charlotte Hoffmann, and great-grandchildren Alan and Lilac Buckser.
Donations in his memory may be made to the San Jose State College of Business Scholarship Fund.
Published in San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on May 12, 2017
Alvin Beckett
Feb. 10, 1916 - Apr. 26, 2017
Davis, CA
Alvin Clyde "Al" Beckett, age 101, died peacefully at home in Davis on April 26, 2017. Al was born in Carney's Point, NJ, the only child of Robert and Virginia Beckett, and grew up in Penns Grove, NJ. After working odd jobs, from washing dishes to taking shorthand notes at the Lindbergh kidnapping trial, he graduated from Trenton State Teacher's College in 1937.
After graduation, he taught at North Arlington High School and continued his education part time, getting a master's from Columbia. Thus began a teaching career that lasted almost 50 years, interrupted only by service in the Army in WWII. Even the Army found his teaching skills useful. He taught typing and small arms, as well as working on payroll operations for the Pacific Theater at Fort Ord. He also taught at Monterey Union Adult School, where a student brushing up her shorthand caught his eye. He waited to ask out Lyda "Betty" Stogner until after the class had ended, but then he didn't waste time. Al and Betty were married in 1946. He returned to New Jersey and switched to teaching at Monmouth Junior College. He resumed work on his doctorate at NYU. Two daughters were born there: Laurel (1947) and Bonnie (1949). When he finished his doctorate, the family moved back to California, where he taught at San Jose State from 1955 until his retirement in 1982.
Teaching was Al's calling, his passion, and his gift. He worked all his life to give women, international students, and students of color extra encouragement and opportunities to make up for social and institutional barriers. Al won the Outstanding Professor award at San Jose State, but the true measure of his impact is in the many students whose lives he enhanced. He stayed in touch with them via frequent letters and visits. Some came from as far as NYC to celebrate his 100th birthday.
Al was a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. After retirement, he kept busy with his stamp collection, garden, extensive correspondence, and travel with Betty. He and Betty moved to Davis in 2004. Betty died in 2014, taking much of the light from his life. Al is survived by daughters Laurel (Dan Tancredi) and Bonnie (Rolfe Larson), granddaughters Heather Buckser (Craig) and Charlotte Hoffmann, and great-grandchildren Alan and Lilac Buckser.
Donations in his memory may be made to the San Jose State College of Business Scholarship Fund.
Published in San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on May 12, 2017
Feb. 10, 1916 - Apr. 26, 2017
Davis, CA
Alvin Clyde "Al" Beckett, age 101, died peacefully at home in Davis on April 26, 2017. Al was born in Carney's Point, NJ, the only child of Robert and Virginia Beckett, and grew up in Penns Grove, NJ. After working odd jobs, from washing dishes to taking shorthand notes at the Lindbergh kidnapping trial, he graduated from Trenton State Teacher's College in 1937.
After graduation, he taught at North Arlington High School and continued his education part time, getting a master's from Columbia. Thus began a teaching career that lasted almost 50 years, interrupted only by service in the Army in WWII. Even the Army found his teaching skills useful. He taught typing and small arms, as well as working on payroll operations for the Pacific Theater at Fort Ord. He also taught at Monterey Union Adult School, where a student brushing up her shorthand caught his eye. He waited to ask out Lyda "Betty" Stogner until after the class had ended, but then he didn't waste time. Al and Betty were married in 1946. He returned to New Jersey and switched to teaching at Monmouth Junior College. He resumed work on his doctorate at NYU. Two daughters were born there: Laurel (1947) and Bonnie (1949). When he finished his doctorate, the family moved back to California, where he taught at San Jose State from 1955 until his retirement in 1982.
Teaching was Al's calling, his passion, and his gift. He worked all his life to give women, international students, and students of color extra encouragement and opportunities to make up for social and institutional barriers. Al won the Outstanding Professor award at San Jose State, but the true measure of his impact is in the many students whose lives he enhanced. He stayed in touch with them via frequent letters and visits. Some came from as far as NYC to celebrate his 100th birthday.
Al was a loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. After retirement, he kept busy with his stamp collection, garden, extensive correspondence, and travel with Betty. He and Betty moved to Davis in 2004. Betty died in 2014, taking much of the light from his life. Al is survived by daughters Laurel (Dan Tancredi) and Bonnie (Rolfe Larson), granddaughters Heather Buckser (Craig) and Charlotte Hoffmann, and great-grandchildren Alan and Lilac Buckser.
Donations in his memory may be made to the San Jose State College of Business Scholarship Fund.
Published in San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on May 12, 2017
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ALVIN C
BECKETT
T SGT
US ARMY
WORLD WAR II
FEB 10 1916
APR 26 2017
ARCOM
DEVOTED HUSBAND
FATHER TEACHER
Gravesite Details
ARCOM - Army Commendation Medal
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