Dr. John E Beckert

John E. Beckert, D.O., 83, of Kahoka, passed away peacefully from natural causes at 9:50 am on Saturday, February 4, 2023, at the Clark County Nursing Home in Kahoka. 

Fondly known as “Doc”, John was born on June 29^th, 1939, in his home in Rutledge. He was one of six children born to the late Noel and Ila (Phillips) Beckert. John started school at the one room schoolhouse in Rutledge. While in elementary school, the family moved to Memphis where he completed his primary education and graduated from Memphis High School in 1957. John then served in the U.S. Army for two years where he trained as a marksman and was stationed at Fort Ord in Monterrey Bay, California. After his time in the service, John returned to Northeast Missouri to attend college at the Northeast Missouri Teacher’s College. This is where he met Nadine Robinson, and upon graduation, they were married on August 15, 1964, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.  

John & Nadine moved to St. Louis, where he taught chemistry at Lindbergh High School for one year before returning to Northeast Missouri to pursue a degree in medicine at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. After graduating in 1969, John & Nadine moved again; this time to Port St. Lucie, Florida where John completed a one-year internship in general medicine. Although he was accepted to their general surgery residency, John chose to move back to Northeast Missouri where he was given the opportunity to practice with Dr. Willis in Kahoka. Shortly after joining the practice, Dr. Willis retired and Dr. Beckert never looked back. In 1972, they welcomed their first child; Brigitte, and in 1973, their son Benjamin was born. 

Dr. Beckert held several interests over the years. He was an avid gun collector and enjoyed quail & pheasant hunting. He kept horses for 20 years on their farm just north of Kahoka. John also had a love for automobiles. He liked to take his grandchildren to parades to throw out candy from his Buick. He had numerous collectable cars over the years but was especially proud of his 1969 Corvette. His true passion in life, however, was being a physician. His commitment to the residents of the communities never wavered. He would see patients all day in clinic; sometimes as many as 75 patients in a day and then make house calls and attend to the nursing home patients. John would treat patients in his house office at all hours of the day and night.  

John Beckert, doctor, husband, father, brother, grandfather, and uncle will be missed by his family, friends & patients. 

In addition to his wife of 58 years, Nadine, John is survived by his daughter; Dr. Brigitte (Arlen) Egley of Memphis, his son; Dr. Benjamin (Amanda) Beckert of Beaumont, Texas, three grandchildren; Calissa and Carson Cormier and John Wallace Beckert, two brothers; Dean (Roberta) Beckert of Memphis and Ed (Sandy) Beckert of Lee’s Summit, two sisters; Betty (Audrey) Glass of Memphis and Helen Hill, both of Memphis and by several nieces and nephews. Besides his parents, John was preceded in death by his sister; Mary Battles, and by two brothers in-law; Winnie Hill & Keith Battles. 

Funeral services honoring Dr. Beckert’s life will be conducted at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 11, 2023, at the Wilson & Triplett Funeral Home in Kahoka. Pastor Shawn McAfee will officiate. This event will be livestreamed: https://my.gather.app/remember/dr-john-beckert Interment will follow at Kahoka City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 until 7:00 pm on Friday, February 10, 2023, at the funeral home. Memorial contributions in memory of John are suggested to the Clark County Nursing Home’s Activity Fund. You are invited to share your memories of Dr. Beckert and leave a condolence at www.wilsontriplett.com