George Hughes Beckwith
George Hughes Beckwith was born May 14, 1942 in
Charlottesville, Virginia to Julian Ruffin Beckwith and Lois Hughes
Beckwith. Dr. Beckwith is survived by his
sons George Hughes Beckwith Jr. (Anna) and Henry Dodge Beckwith, Psy.D.; his
two sisters, Polly Hawkes (David) from Charlottesville, VA and Lois Johnson
(Gary) from Bangor, ME and his brother Julian Beckwith (Joyce) from
Watkinsville, GA.
After World War II, Julian and Lois and the Beckwith family
moved to Clifton Forge, Virginia where they purchased property on the banks of the
Cowpasture River, “The Farm”. This is
where a young George Beckwith found his love for fishing and the outdoors and
where he would return through the years, sharing the happiest times of his life
with family and friends.
In 1953 his father accepted a teaching position at the
University of Virginia School of Medicine.
The family returned to Charlottesville where George graduated Lane High
School in 1960. He later attended
Hampton Sydney College in Farmville, Virginia, becoming a member of Lambda Chi
Alpha fraternity. Married to Kathy Dodge
in August of 1965, he was greeted by the birth of their first son, George
Hughes Beckwith Jr. in July of 1970.
George was accepted into the University of Virginia School
of Medicine and with great pride of his father, graduated in 1971. George and Kathy moved to Kentucky where
George interned at the University of Kentucky.
In 1972 his second son, Henry Dodge Beckwith was born. George completed his Residency in Internal
Medicine/Fellowship in Cardiology at the University of Virginia from 1972-1976.
In 1976 George traded
the clear waters of the Cowpasture River for the tannic waters of the Trent
River and New Bern, North Carolina, exploring with his boys all that coastal
North Carolina has to offer. George was
very involved in the development of The Carolina East Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
that has become extremely meaningful to people recovering from cardiac events in
Eastern North Carolina. George was also
very active with the American Heart Association, retiring from medicine after
nearly 40 years.
George was thankful for his team of colleagues and nurses
through the years and the many patients who adored him. The people of Eastern North Carolina and his
family’s love for the coast kept him in New Bern, but any few days of leisure
found him back on the clear waters of his childhood, working in his garden and
sitting with friends on the porch of the
log cabin that he always wanted.
We cannot count the times when we have been with dad,
stopped by the family of his patients who thanked him for taking care of their
loved ones. We would like to pass along
our deepest and most heartfelt gratitude to all of his nurses and caregivers
for their dedication, compassion and the dignity that they have given our
father.
The family is overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and
kindness that has been showered upon us by his colleagues, friends and patients. In
lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to:
American Heart Association or
Craven County Hospice c/o Craven County Health Department
Foundation PO Drawer 12610 New Bern, NC
28561
A memorial service is scheduled at Christ Episcopal Church in
New Bern, North Carolina at 1:00 pm on March 14.
posted by Capt. George Beckwith at
9:59 PM
