Dennis Beckman

Shreveport - Dennis K. Beckman passed away peacefully at home under hospice and his sister Deb's care in Shreveport, Louisiana on September 25, 2025 at age 82. Even during 3 years of living with bone cancer, he never gave up on finding joy and living life to the fullest.

Dennis was born October 11, 1942 in Lafayette, Louisiana to Mike and Ethel Beckman. His family moved to Shreveport in 1945 while his father pursued a career in the Petroleum Exploration industry. They were active at St. Paul Lutheran Church.

He attended South Highlands Elementary School, Broadmoor Junior High School, and Byrd High School. He received his B.S. degree in Horticulture and Master's in Landscape Architecture/Urban Planning from LSU in Baton Rouge. He married his college sweetheart, Sharron Schaffer, and they had a son, Stefan. Dennis designed local and regional parks and, while a Captain in the Army in San Francisco serving as an Environmental Planner, helped develop the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

In 1973, he and his partner Scott Butts created The Enchanted Crystal in San Francisco. This special gallery/store became a beloved destination for 42 years on Union Street. Their unique store displayed rainbow crystals, the healing power of quartz crystal and other stones, vintage costume jewelry, dragons, fairies, unicorns, and treasures from around the world. Dennis was on the Board of Directors and President of the Union Street (Merchants) Association for over 38 years, where he produced the San Francisco/Union Street Easter Parade. He loved creating fantasy masks, bridal headpieces, and outrageous hats for his family and friends to wear.

Dennis enjoyed traveling around the United States and to over 30 countries and working with orphanages overseas. He loved his adopted city of San Francisco but also living the last 10 years of his life in his hometown of Shreveport. In 2015, Dennis started working at his sister Deb Cockrell's unique gift shop, The Enchanted Garden. He continued making individual unique masks, crowns and hats for Mardi Gras, Easter and other occasions including Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. Over the years in Shreveport, many articles have been written about "The Mask Man". In 2019, he was elected to be Mardi Gras King for the Krewe of Highland. Dennis and Deb enjoyed supporting the community in art, symphony and theatre, seeing over 200 plays together, locally and on Broadway. Dennis had exhibits of his fabulous masks, hats and fascinators at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum and was a board member at the museum for many years.

He is preceded in death by his father, Michael W. Beckman; mother, Ethel Beckman; his former wife, Sharron S. Zeisman; and the love of his life for 42 years, Scoty Butts. He will be missed by many friends and family, including his son, Stefan Beckman (Kris Togias) of New York City and Stefan's sisters; sisters, Michaelene Flasch of Tulsa, OK, and Deb Beckman Cockrell (James Cockrell) of Shreveport; brother, Gary Beckman (Valerie Chang) of Las Vegas; nieces and nephews.

See full obituary on the Rose-Neath Funeral Home - Shreveport website.