James Francis Beswick, Jr.

James Francis Beswick, Jr, of Sun ‘n’ Lake, Sebring, passed away on July 12. He was born February 15, 1935 in Camden, NJ to James F. and Mary (Purcell) Beswick and came to this area in 2006 from Pembroke Pines, FL. He later moved to North Hutchinson Island, Ft. Pierce upon his retirement. Mr. Beswick is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughters, Juliette Pokletar and Jennifer Czhola; sons, Erich and Kurt Beswick; grandsons, James F. B. Pokletar and Gunner Beswick and great grandchildren Alannah, 8 and Dillon Pokletar, 4 months. Beswick is also survived by sisters, Edith Kelly, Mays Landing and Bonnie Lee Hacker, Vineland, NJ. Beswick, a Civil Engineer, was active in NY State with the strengthening and lengthening of the Griffis Air Force Base runway, to enable the landing of B-52s and B-47s during the 1960s. He worked with Medjeski, Masters, Ammann & Whitney on the building of the Walt Whitman Bridge in Philadelphia, walking the suspension cables before the roadway was installed. The bridge opened in May of 1957. He then built the Round Valley Reservoir in NJ and later worked on the extension of the PA Turnpike for the road department. He switched into his Safety Engineer hat and worked for New Jersey Manufactures Insurance Co. in Trenton managing inspectors to evaluate industry for liability issues. Moving to Florida, he teamed up with Zurich/American Insurance Co. in Hollywood, FL and then with Banker’s Insurance Co. in St. Petersburg, FL to do the same. He and his wife then formed Alpha Loss Control in Pembroke Pines, FL. The company trained inspectors to assess perspective clients for a multitude of insurance companies. He eventually gave his company to his son, Erich, who continued to grow the business to one of the largest inspection companies in Florida. Jim was a traditional family man, bringing up a family in a healthy rural setting, buying a farm in Columbia, NJ, a stone’s throw to the Delaware Water Gap; and then buying a condo on the ocean in Ft. Pierce, Florida where the youngest child learned to swim. Traveling was his favorite pastime and he and his wife went to Germany many times. In England, he was able to see Henri Purcell’s grave stone and plaque on the wall in Westminster Abbey. His mother was a Purcell and the lineage goes back to Henri in her family of musicians and doctors. Mr. Beswick was a published poet and collector of antique furniture and German beer Steins. Surely he will be savoring the best of the beers at the end of this trip. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 14, at 4:00 at Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home, 4001 Sebring Parkway, Sebring, FL 33870 with Rev. David Juliano officiating. Interment will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery, 90 St John Street, Lake Placid, FL 33852.

Arrangements entrusted to:

Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home

4001 Sebring Parkway

Sebring, FL 33870

Online condolences may be left at:

www.stephensonnelsonfh.com