Robert William Beckham's Obituary
Robert William Patrick Beckham died on December 6 at the age of 76 surrounded by his wife and family members. He was born in 1946 in London, England, son of William H. Beckham, serving in the US Army Air Corps at the time, and Anastasia Fitzgerald, an Irish immigrant to the UK.
Robert grew up in northern Florida, and graduated as a National Merit Scholar from Bay High School in Panama City FL. He attended the University of Miami, FL and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in economics and political science. He attended Vanderbilt University as a National Defense Fellow. As a doctoral candidate in economics, and upon receiving his tentative appointment to the US Foreign Service, he completed his master’s degree in economics in 1968 without finishing his doctoral studies. He taught economics for two semesters at Thornton College in Harvey, IL before receiving his commission in the US Foreign Service and joined his basic officer class at the Foreign Service Institute in Virginia in 1969.
After basic officer training, area studies, and Spanish language training he was assigned to the US Embassy Panama as economic/commercial officer in 1970. He traveled widely throughout Central America during his tour, and drove home from Panama to Washington, DC in his Alfa Romeo on the Inter-American Highway on the completion of his tour in 1972.
Upon return to the DC area, he received French language training and was assigned to US Embassy Port-au-Prince Haiti as economic/commercial officer. While there he met Tania, his wife for the next 46 years. He was next assigned to the US Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey for three years following Middle East area studies and Turkish language training.
Upon their return to Washington, he was appointed the desk officer for Haiti and the Dominican Republic in the State Department’s Bureau of Inter-American Affairs. He was then assigned to the office of the Under Secretary of State as Special Assistant for international science and technology policy and nuclear non-proliferation. This was followed by his appointment to Deputy Director of the Office of Non-Proliferation Policy. In 1983 he was given a year’s academic leave, receiving a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the JFK School of Government at Harvard University in 1984.
His next assignment was Director of Economic Resources in the Bureau of Latin American Affairs, where he was responsible for the bureau’s economic and political interests in the “Central America Initiative” to bring democracy and economic development to the region. He also served as a member of the US delegation to the Inter-American Development Bank as a part of his responsibilities.
After a year’s leave without pay to allow his wife, Tania, time to complete her Master’s degree at George Mason University, Robert was assigned in 1988 as Political/Economic Counselor at the US embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, regionally accredited to the island nations of Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Antigua. In the absence of an Ambassador, Robert served parts of his 3-year tour as deputy chief of mission, and parts as Charge d’Affaires, in charge of all US relations with these countries and of all embassy personnel of all agencies.
Upon return to Washington, Robert was appointed to the Policy Planning Staff of the US Secretary of Defense. Aside from participating in policy planning relating to Europe and the Middle East, throughout Desert Shield he served as DOD representative to the Interagency Group on Iraq Sanctions, coordinating Defense Department policy with State, CIA, NSA, Treasury, and other agencies.
Upon return to the State Department, Robert spent six years as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of State. His responsibilities were primarily strategic planning, budget, resource, and congressional relations as they related to US military and security assistance to other countries.
Before retiring from US Government service in 1997, Robert and his wife Tania Roude Beckham established the first on-line art gallery on the internet, The Electric Gallery – www.egallery.com. From 2015 to 2019 he served in a volunteer capacity as an Anne Arundel County Police Reserve Officer.
Robert lived a full and intellectually curious life with many passions: travel; sailing; automobiles, new and classic; racing cars and motorcycles (especially his various Corvettes and his Porsche); guns and gun safety. He was a voracious reader, following the arts and science. He loved his beautiful home on the banks of the Severn River.
Robert is survived by his loving and beloved wife Tania, son Nick (Annie) Larson, grandchildren Rainer (Lora) and Kyra, great granddaughter Ashely, three siblings - Kathleen Stevens of West Palm Beach, Joanne Beckham of Castle Pines, Colorado, and John (Jeanie) Beckham of Port Angeles, Washington, and nieces and nephews, Aileen, Hollan, Kaitlyn and John William.
Robert will be cremated and his ashes sprinkled on the Gulf of Mexico in his home town of Panama City, Florida. Any contributions in his honor can be made to the charity or cause of your choice,
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