Nov. 11, 1920–April 2, 2018
Lloyd Peter Beckton, 97, passed away April 2, 2018, at Newcastle, Wyo.
Lloyd was born Nov. 11, 1920, at Hanna, S.D., to William and Mary (Bandura) Beckton. He was the third child of four. He grew up and attended elementary school in Hanna. He attended one year of high school in Lead, S.D. He went to work as a blacksmith apprentice for Homestake Gold Mine in the summer of 1938. He also joined the South Dakota National Guard that year, where he served with the 109th Engineers Company E Regiment, (combat) Lead, S.D.
He continued to work at Homestake until 1942, when he joined the U.S. Navy. He served four years. In that time he was sent to the San Diego Destroyer Base to serve for three years, then to Honolulu for 13 months with a ship repair unit. After his discharge, he returned to South Dakota and worked at the Homestake Gold Mine.
In 1946 he married Jeanette Ann Shipman; she had one daughter, Toni. In 1957 they moved to California, where Lloyd worked for a construction machinery company. In 1958 he went to work for the Civil Service at a ship repair forge shop in Long Beach, Calif. Jeanette passed away in 1963.
In 1967 he married Eugenia Del Barco. He retired in 1970, then in 1980 they moved to Costa Rica. In 1985 Lloyd divorced Eugenia and moved to Newcastle to be close to his mother. In 1986 he married Lois Dowdy. Lois died in 1997.
Lloyd was a member of American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
He is survived by his stepdaughter, Toni Hearn of Oregon; two nephews, Richard Taylor of Billings, Mont., and William Beckton Jr of Casper, Wyo; two nieces, Jean Burleson of Newcastle, and Marge Bender of Casper, Wyo; a step-daughter, Betty Petranek of Newcastle; and a step-son, Rodney Dowdy of Moorcroft, Wyo.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, William and Jim; one sister, Marie Taylor; two wives, Jeanette and Lois; and one nephew, Stanley Beckton.
Recitation of the Rosary was held April 5 at Worden Chapel in Newcastle. Burial with military honors was held on April 6 at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, S.D. Memorial can be sent to Weston County Senior Services center.