John Nicholas Beyer Jr.

BEYER

JOHN NICHOLAS BEYER JR.

John Nicholas Beyer Jr. died peacefully on April 4, 2023 in Reston, Virginia at age 94. He was born March 13, 1929 to Mildred Ethel Beyer (Terry) and John Nicholas Beyer Sr. in Merrick, Long Island. After high school John enlisted in the Army. His hopes of being a pilot were dashed though when he learned that the Army Airforce wasn't taking new recruits. He landed in the military police, which wasn't what he had enlisted for but it ended up to be a huge success. The GI Bill paved the path for his Master's Degree in Architecture at Columbia University and changed his life's trajectory.



In 1958 John was awarded a fellowship for travel and study. Before he set out on his trip he bought a Fiat 1500 - site unseen. Ever frugal, he took a steamer ship to Europe and picked up that Fiat in Italy. John had many adventures that year, including taking a boat up the Nile from Cairo to Sudan.



It was in Paris that John met his future wife, Betty-Jane (BJ) Bonser, at the Café des Beaux Arts. They sealed their love with a kiss along the "Axe Historique," the historical axis of Paris. John and BJ married in 1962 and had two daughters, Sarah Lucy Oliver (Jim Oliver) and Christina Alexandra Beyer (John Dudek). John adored and was in awe of his three grandchildren, Brendan Aloysius Kelly, Tess Asenath Kelly and Emily Virginia Sharp.



By any account John's career was a rich one. His first full time architectural job was under master architect Minoru Yamasaki at the time that Yamasaki was designing the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. John was an airport planner for Toronto Pearson Airport's Aeroquay 1 and for airports in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Kuala Lumpur and Borneo, Malaysia.



John joined Marriott when the company was just beginning its international expansion in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Greece. Later he worked on the design for the American embassies in Santiago, Chile and Lima, Peru. But John always said his most fulfilling job was working for Job Corps. He loved the fact that he was responsible for improving the buildings that the students were using to improve their lives.



John was happiest in the company of family and spending time with his Columbia University buddies. He was a lover of classical music and opera, good food, fine wine, and all things New York City. He was an avid mushroom hunter, a skilled carpenter and could fix anything. He had a wonderful eye for art, fashion and beautiful jewelry. He made amazing baguettes.



Betty-Jane was married to John for 60 years, the most interesting and handsome man she ever met. The family will gather for a memorial service this summer in West Wardsboro, Vermont.