Gene H. "Gibber" Beckeman, Jr.'s Obituary
Gene H. Beckeman, Jr., known to most as “Gibber or Gib”, of Marcellus, NY and a life-long Syracuse area
resident, passed away from cancer on April 10, 2024 surrounded by family. Gibber was 70 years old.
He is survived by the love of his life and wife of 43 years, Bonnie Ayer Beckeman; his son, Kristopher (Sarah) Beckeman and grandchildren, Calvin and Clara of Worcester, MA; his daughter, Kimberly (Derek) Beckeman and grandchildren, Hattie and Olive of Skaneateles, NY; his mother, Shirley Beckeman of Jamesville, NY; his brother, Bill (Sheila) Beckeman of Boston, MA; two sisters-in-law, Nancy Ayer of Skaneateles, NY, and Betsy (Robert) Eibert of Skaneateles, NY; his brother-in-law, Dan (Kate) Ayer of Rochester, NY; and his nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless close friends.
He is predeceased by his father, Gene H. Beckeman, Sr.
Gib was a master carpenter and builder known for the quality of his workmanship. He loved his profession almost as much as he loved those he worked with and the clients he served. When his van arrived on a construction site with the ever present “Gibber” license plates, it was a sign that the work being performed there was top rate by builders who truly cared. In addition to his building prowess, he was a teacher at heart. He took great pride in sharing his skills with others and could often be found mentoring novice craftsmen.
He excelled at many things in his life beyond his profession, almost all involved the outdoors. Gibber learned to ski shortly after learning to walk. He went on to become an accomplished ski racer at Toggenburg and Cazenovia Ski Club and, later in life, coached the ski team for Colgate University. However, his greatest enjoyment came from non-competitive outdoor activities with his family including skiing, diving, hiking, swimming, and camping. He enjoyed swimming in Skaneateles Lake with his family. He loved to meticulously stack wood in preparation for winter evenings spent in front of the woodstove. Most of all, he loved kayaking with Bonnie throughout the Adirondacks, especially Brown Tract Pond. Gib was an avid camper and the family camping trips to Brown’s Tract Pond were an annual highlight. His chief skills excelled in the wild and campsite 88 would be treated to daily gourmet breakfast sandwiches.
Gib was a huge soccer fan and wouldn’t miss a chance to cheer for Liverpool FC, or play a game with his grandkids in the yard. Much to his ears' dismay, Gib loved live music. He ensured his children would too, by having their first all-nighter include camping out for Rolling Stone tickets at a young age. Gib was a storyteller and would often share a story to get a laugh out of us, or to show off an interesting artifact from his life. Whether it was the first or hundredth time a story was told, it would undoubtedly include a profanity or eye roll for punctuation. We will miss his charm, compassion, and guidance. He was a 1972 graduate of Jamesville DeWitt High School and a 1976 graduate of New England College where he received the President’s Award for Highest Academic Achievement in the Natural Sciences.
A celebration of life for Gibber will be held on Saturday May 11, 2024, from 10 AM to 12 PM at Navarino Orchard, 3655 Cherry Valley Turnpike, Syracuse, NY 13215.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to: The Navarino Fire Department; 3276 Amber Road, Syracuse, NY, 13215.
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