OBITUARY: Jeannie Redpath Becton
Jean “Jeannie” Redpath Becton, who spent winter months in Boca Grande, artist and silversmith who was known for her infectious laugh, her creativity, and her generosity, died on February 3, 2023, at the Hospice House in Lincoln, MA. At the end, she was surrounded by her loving family, including Henry Becton, Jr, her husband of 54 years, and their three children Sara Ardrey, Will Becton, and Eliza Becton.
Jeannie was a devoted mother, grandmother, and a dear friend to many. Known for her warmth and her uniquely charming sense of humor, she was considered to have a sparkling personality by those who knew her. She always put others first and was known for striking up conversations with anyone and everyone. She was genuinely interested in learning about their lives in addition to freely sharing details of her own. She valued the meaningful reciprocity of true relationships and had a unique ability to make anyone feel comfortable with her.
Jeannie was born on May 7, 1944, in South Orange, NJ, the daughter of Robert Upjohn Redpath and Nancy Shaw Miller Redpath. She attended Far Brook School in Short Hills, NJ, where her fun-loving, magical charm landed her the part of Puck in a performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She spent her childhood summers at Pocono Lake Preserve, PA and at her family’s stone farmhouse in Vergennes, VT. Jeannie attended secondary school at Rosemary Hall School in Greenwich, CT. She then studied silversmithing and sculpture at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts School and earned a fine arts degree from Tufts University.
Jeannie adored her children and grandchildren; laughing, listening, connecting, creating, celebrating birthdays, always valuing their time together. She was the heart, soul, and glue of a wonderful family culture.
She pursued her passion for silversmithing first at the deCordova Museum Studio outside Boston. She and her silversmithing colleagues eventually created their own studio at Motherbrook Arts and Community Center in Dedham, MA. Jeannie specialized in making individual custom pieces to give to friends and family. Those lucky enough to have one of her silver creations testify that it would be the first thing they’d grab in the event of a house fire.
Jeannie’s artistic sensibility infused every facet of her life, whether it was interior design, ceramics, or the artwork she acquired. She was known for making beautiful spaces within her homes filled with thoughtfully chosen pieces. She belonged to the Weston, MA Garden Club and won prizes for some of her garden show entries. She enjoyed music, particularly choral singing, Christmas and Celtic music, the Revels, and Yale singing groups.
Boca Grande was a special place for Jeannie during winter months, where they shared their home with family and friends, and where daughter Eliza was married to Glen under the beloved banyan tree that sadly is no more between the fifth and sixth holes of the Inn golf course. They spent their summers in Blue Hill, ME where she chaired the house committee for the yacht club and was famous for her delicious sauce bearnaise for 150 people at the club’s annual dinner. Jeannie also chaired the Blue Hill Country Club membership committee for several years. Her love for the Maine and Florida coasts and the environment inspired her to encourage young people to pursue environmental careers by funding two internships with the Maine Coast Heritage and Blue Hill Heritage Trusts.
She was a board member for many years of the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA, focusing on supporting the island of Canna in the Hebrides and the preservation of its musical, photographic and literary collections, donated to the Trust by one of her relatives.
In addition to her husband, Henry, she is survived by her two daughters and their spouses: Sara and Guy, Eliza and Glen, her son Wilson, five adored grandchildren: Campbell, Hayden, Jamie, Summer and Tate, her brothers, Rob and Bill Redpath, as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. She is predeceased by her sister, Nancy Redpath.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations in her memory: to the Johann Fust Library Foundation, P.O. Box 309, Boca Grande; the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA, PO Box 9207, Boston, MA 02114, and the Hematology Development Fund, Mass General Hospital, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114-1100.
To share a remembrance or to offer a condolence in her online guestbook, please visit DeeFuneralHome.com.
