Beckwith Family Scholarships

These endowments and scholarships were established in honor of various members of the Beckwith Family. Family patriarch Paul S. Beckwith was a partner in founding Fareway Stores, Inc. back in 1938 with Fred Vitt. One of the scholarships was established in honor of Paul’s wife, Mary Ellen L. Beckwith. Together, Paul and Mary Ellen had four children: Pauline Beckwith Cramer, Evaline Beckwith Wiltse, Richard D. Beckwith, and F.W. (Bill) Beckwith. Two scholarships were established in honor of both Richard and Bill. Later, another scholarship would be established in honor of their brother, Ralph Beckwith, and his wife, Dorothy. The Beckwith Family members were and continue to be highly influential in the development of both Fareway Stores, Inc. and the greater Boone community. The endowments and scholarships remain supported by the Paul S. and Mary Ellen L. Beckwith Foundation, The F. William and Leola I. Beckwith Foundation, and the family of Ralph and Dorothy Beckwith. Below is some more information on two of the Beckwith sons, Richard and Bill.

Richard D. “Bud” Beckwith, passed away at the age of 85 on May 7, 2006. He was born on June 17, 1920 in Diller, Nebraska the son of Paul and Maryellen (Line) Beckwith. On April 19, 1942, he married Pearl Hamilton in the Presbyterian Church of Oelwein, Iowa. Richard began working in the grocery business as a young man in Omaha, Nebraska while his father Paul worked for Safeway Stores. In 1938, he moved with his parents to Boone, Iowa where they with other family members and business associates of Paul founded a grocery chain named Fareway Stores Inc. For the next four years ’Bud’ worked in the new stores in Boone, Ames, Webster City, Estherville, Carroll, Oelwein. In 1942, Bud was appointed manager of a new Fareway store in Nevada, Iowa. In February 1943, Richard was inducted into the United States Amy with which he served proudly in Normandy, Northern France, and Central Europe. He was injured by the blast of a bomb in Europe and returned home in December of 1945. In 1946, Bud and Pearl moved to Vinton, Iowa where Bud managed the new Fareway store in that community. All three of their children were born in Vinton. In 1956 the family moved to Boone, Iowa and Bud began supervising stores and working in the Fareway corporate office there until he retired as a Vice President in 1981. Richard was an active member in the Presbyterian Church in Boone, Iowa. He was a pilot and enjoyed many friends at the Boone airport. Bud enjoyed dancing, farming and annual fishing trips to Minnesota and Canada with family and friends.

F. William (Bill) Beckwith, passed away on July 30, 2018. He was born the youngest of four children to Paul S. and MaryEllen Beckwith in Diller, Nebraska on May 14, 1927. Bill believed in sustainability and resourcefulness, qualities that led to the continued success of Fareway Stores, Inc., the Iowa based company that his father, Paul S. Beckwith, pioneered with partner Fred Vitt in 1938. Bill grew up learning the grocery business alongside his Dad while serving customers and sweeping floors. However, he left his own mark on the company with his innovative design of the Fareway warehouse and distribution center. This project modernized the company’s approach to maintain an efficient system that would lead to savings for the loyal Fareway customer. After serving in the US NAVY during WWII, Beckwith returned to Iowa where he worked his way up through the family business as assistant manager, manager, and supervisor. In 1981, he was elected president of Fareway and added chief executive officer to his role in 1985. He worked his way up to the top as chairman of the board until his retirement in 2010. He remained a stockholder to maintain his father’s vision of a company that provided opportunity for all people, emphasizing a Manager’s autonomy to build their own legacy within the success of the Fareway family. Bill believed the generosity of communities across the State of Iowa were instrumental in Fareway’s success. As an avid philanthropist he, with his wife Jodie, were proud to give back to the growth and development of organizations such as Camp Courageous and other Iowa based educational programs. Upon his retirement, Beckwith traded in his Fareway tie for his old boots and jeans to continue his stump grinding hobby, moving trees, fishing, and driving his John Deere Gator. He was active in the Boone community, a member of the VFW, American Legion, and First Presbyterian Church of Boone.