Rodney J. Beckwith
Oct. 5, 1912-Nov. 10, 1982
Rodney J. Beckwith, 70, of Buchanan, died at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday at Unity Hosptial[sic] in Buchanan after a brief illness.
Born Oct. 5, 1912 in Elkhart, Ind., he had been a lifetime resident of the area and is formerly of Niles. He was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church of Niles, the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, the National Association of Veteran Railroad Employees and he was a retired freight conductor for Penn Central Railroad.
On Nov. 11, 1935 in Niles, he married the former Cleo I. Mell, who survives. Also survivng are: four sons, Rodney J. Beckwith III of Livonia, Brian A. Beckwith of Niles, Henry A. Beckwith of Ann Arbor and Craig A. Beckwith of Niles; a brother, Robert Beckwith of South Bend, Ind.; four sisters, Mrs. Joseph (Mary Jayne) Copeland of Jackson, Mr. Thomas (Atlee) Raciboski of Jackson, Mrs. Perry (Gloria) Mellinger of Jackson, and Mrs. Paul (Maxine) Elder of Elkhart, Ind.; and six grandchildren.
Services will be held Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home with Rev. Mark Graham of Wesley United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home. Memorials may be given to the Michigan Heart Fund or the Berrien County Cancer Service.
Niles Daily Star, Friday, November 12, 1982, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library
