Vale Ian Beckwith

The choir attended and led the singing at Ian’s thanksgiving service at Bendigo’s St Andrew’s Uniting Church on 12 October 2012, the Cathedral’s Dean the Very Reverend John Roundhill officiating.

Faleiry conducted and Elizabeth Paton played the organ throughout the service. Our first hymn was Cwm Rhondda and this was followed by a witty and revealing tribute by Dr Andrew Harvey.  

We learned that Ian (1935–2012) had been an enthusiastic musician and member of a barber-shop quartet in his younger days and this background led to him joining our choir as a founding member of the Bendigo chapter. Annette and Ian were great dancers also and they performed together in various amateur productions. We also learned (and the clue was on the cover of the handsomely produced service booklet) that Ian was a skilled silversmith and jewellery maker.

We also led the large congregation in The Lord’s My Shepherd sung to Crimond and performed Aberystwyth and Myfanwy while the visual presentation of Ian’s life was being projected.

After prayers everybody sang Amazing Grace. The end of the service for this quietly spoken choir stalwart was particularly moving for everyone as we surrounded the congregation to sing Sunset Poem. After the final oohs had poignantly died away the choristers turned and moved outside to form a guard of honour to farewell our old friend and colleague.