John Beacco died last week. He grew up in Stockbridge and graduated from Williams High School. After attending Amherst College (where he played varsity baseball with David Scribner), Beacco returned to Stockbridge to teach, coach, and run the town.
He was elected to the Select Board in 1974 and served for 24 years. His defeat in 1998 was a loss for John and a much greater loss for Stockbridge.
In Bruce Blair’s remembrance below, John is quoted describing Stockbridge as “a dignified and caring way of life.” What others called Stockbridge exceptionalism or a special quality they tried and failed to describe, was easy to describe for John. It was just seven words — a dignified and caring way of life — as simple as that and as extraordinary.
Someone asked me to write an editorial in keeping with the season. Maybe about menorahs and dreidels, lighted trees, the smell of balsam, music, gifts, and sugar cookies. Wonderful things, but equally wonderful is what Mary Flynn called “the Stockbridge way” and John called a dignified and caring life. What is the recipe for that?
I wish us all joy this holiday but also a moment for consideration. Those who remember John remember he preserved and protected the beauty of Stockbridge, and with all his might, tried to protect the spirit of Stockbridge. How do we preserve and protect that? How do we guard against the crass and the selfish? How do we substitute gratitude and a smile for entitled and demanding? How do we drop clever criticism and give instead a helping hand and a supportive word? How do we lay aside conflict and name-calling and strive for understanding and gentle speech?
Anyone with the recipe — write it down. It is the dish we all crave. The enduring spirit of the season — regardless of the holiday you celebrate — is more than the trappings. The enduring gift is dignity and caring.
Thank you, John, for all you did and for every email supporting Stockbridge Updates — there was one almost every issue and there were days when those emails breathed new life into SU.