Wilbur Beckwith

1916 - 2011

Wilbur Beckwith passed away Saturday, June 11, while fishing at Lake Casitas. He was 94 years young.

He was born, raised, and lived in Santa Paula his entire life. Wilbur was the fourth generation of Beckwith farmers in Ventura County. His family originally settled here in the 1870s and began farming lima beans and walnuts. Wilbur was born Dec. 26, 1916, and was brought up on a ranch near where the Todd Road Jail is now located. The little house where he was born and his family lived in is still there.

Wilbur (known as "Bill" to many) was the third generation Beckwith to attend Briggs School. While at Santa Paula High School, he played some football and was a pole vaulter for the track team. He graduated high school in 1934 and attended U. C. Davis where he took agriculture classes.

After Davis he came home to Santa Paula and began working for his father and grandfather on the Beckwith farms. In 1940 Wilbur married the love of his life, Nadine Cowden. Wilbur took over the farming with the passing of his father and grandfather. He farmed Beckwith property until his retirement at age 62 (in 1973) when he sold the last of the farm land. But he continued to work part-time for Burpee Seed Company, now Pan American Seed, well into his eighties. He routinely helped out during spring planting and fall harvest. Wilbur also helped out with special projects any time a good man who could work with his hands was needed.

Some of Wilbur's earliest and fondest memories were of hunting and especially fishing with Grandpa Del Beckwith. Grandpa Del had a small cabin up on the Rincon and the entire family would spend weekends and vacations there. The fishing in those days was really something! Wilbur loved nothing better than vacationing with his family. He especially loved the Sierra's where the family would camp, fish, and water ski.

After retirement, he and Nadine bought a motor home and toured most of the Western U.S. Over the years he never tired of fishing at Lake Casitas. He was a five time member on the "Wall of Fame" picture board at the Casitas Boat Rental Shop. His prize catches over the years were a 6 and a half pound trout, an 8 and a half pound bass, and two bass that weighed 10.2 pounds. He loved giving Randy a hard time at the bait shop. Wilbur was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Nadine, and his sister, Virginia Russell.

He is survived by his daughter, Karon Webb; son, Bill; son, Gordon (wife Maggie); five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and ten nieces and nephews. He was a model for all of us who knew him. One of his nephews recently said Wilbur and Nadine had a perfect marriage; they never once had an argument. Wilbur missed his wife Nadine a great deal over the six years she has been gone. They are now together again where they can continue their love affair.

Viewing will be from 4 until 8 p.m. on Friday, June 17, at Funerarias Del Angel/Stetler Mortuary in Santa Paula. A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 18, at Pierce Brothers Cemetery in Santa Paula.