John Beaton

All who knew John Beaton would agree that he certainly put the spice into life. He was a vibrant, charming, and witty man who was proud of his Scottish heritage. Although he accomplished so much of which to be proud, John was a humble man whose greatest source of pride and joy were the wife, children, and grandchildren he adored. Known for his strong work ethic, he was devoted to his passions and successful in his chosen career well into his sunset years. Although life will never be the same without John here, his family and friends find comfort in knowing that his struggle with the unrelenting grip of the disease that plagued him has ended.

With the dawn of the 1930s people were focused on doing what they could to make ends meet as the Great Depression had blanketed much of the world since the crash of the stock market in October of 1929. Often called the Great Slump in the United Kingdom, these nations suffered greatly during this time as well. Despite the harsh realities around them a young couple was filled with unspeakable joy as they welcomed a healthy baby boy into their hearts and home on April 2, 1930. Born in Paisley, Scotland, John was the only child born to his parents, John and Elizabeth Beaton, and experienced a childhood that he always spoke fondly of.

As John grew from a young boy into a young man, many of the passions that remained with him throughout his entire life were born. He developed a love for the outdoors through two week stays at the seaside resort, Girvan, for many years during the summers. John developed strong character and an unwavering work ethic as a Boy Scout. His love for cooking was learned at Scout camps during the summer when he was delegated as the head cook on parents’ day. He also learned to play the bagpipes during his formative years as well.

With an insatiable thirst for knowledge, John received his PhD in organic chemistry from Glasgow University in 1956. From there he continued his educational experience at Harvard where he did research on the synthesis of chlorophyll for one year under the guidance of Professor R. B. Woodward, who later received the Nobel prize for that achievement. The Research Institute for Medicine and Chemistry in Boston was John’s next employer. In fact, John was their first employee. While there he spent three years working with Professor D. H. R. Barton on what was to be called the “Barton Reaction,” the first practical synthesis of the hormone aldosterone.

Not to be forgotten during his years as a young man was John’s blossoming relationship with the love of his life. Her name was Nanette, and they had grown up in the same neighborhood and were classmates as well. With a desire to build a life together John married his sweetheart, and together they were blessed with the births of three children, Elinor in 1958, Kay in 1959, and Ian in 1962.

In 1961 John accepted a position at The Upjohn Company in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He had a very successful career there, and his extraordinary contributions were recognized when he was awarded with both The Upjohn Award in 1966 and the Achievement in Science and Medicine Award in 1989. John was devoted to his work, and he also took time to teach operators about chemistry. On occasion he even brought in his bagpipes to play in celebration of the development of new chemical reactions! As Nanette would say, “If John had to choose between his work and his family, he might, just might, choose his family.”

John reluctantly retired in 1992, but he was called back after a few years and worked part-time until 2003. Around the time he retired he became most interested in the newly discovered form of carbon, buckminsterfullerine, and he spent several industrious happy years building models of “buckyballs” and other organic molecules from metal, plastic, cloth and paper. A large model of hydrocortisone that John created still stands today in a courtyard at Pfizer in Portage.

Throughout his life John was a man of many interests. An accomplished bagpiper, John began teaching some interested friends in 1964. This later led to the creation of the Kalamazoo Pipe Band. Eventually the group began meeting at Portage Northern High School as part of their continuing education program. John was as an avid skier, golfer, and tennis player. He was a member of the Timber Ridge Ski Patrol from 1971 through 1985. Imagine the sight of John playing the bagpipes dressed in his kilt while skiing down the main hill at Timer Ridge! He was also known for doing Royal Christies while whistling downhill.

When at home John loved tending to his vegetable garden, usually producing bumper crops of tomatoes, peas, and zucchini each year. John also built and reupholstered furniture, rebuilt and sold an old piano, and was an all-round MacGyver who was in his glory with a practical problem to solve. As his friends and family can attest John knew his way around the kitchen, too. As a cook he excelled in creating his special brand of lamb pies for festive occasions. When John and Nanette built a retirement home, he was never happier than when cutting down trees and preparing logs for the fireplace. Actually, Nanette worried that he might eventually change their treed lot into a meadow!

There was nothing John loved more than sharing his passions with his family. John’s seven grandchildren will never forget the occasions when, led by John playing his bagpipes, they marched through the house or outdoors. They also remember him teaching them rather questionable old Scots songs. Because of John’s love for skiing there were several family vacations in Colorado, and he was thrilled that everyone in his family, including his children’s spouses and grandchildren, all became skiers themselves. In the summers the Beaton family enjoyed vacations at Lake Michigan and had canoe and camping trips by the Pine River. On one occasion the family took their tent camper through Canada to Vancouver and back when John cooked meals on a portable stove in places as beautiful as the shoreline of Lake Superior or as boring as a city park in Saskatchewan in his usually industrious way.

John Beaton will be remembered was an outgoing, brilliant, and spunky Scotsman who treasured his family. Music remained a beloved companion even as Alzheimer’s had taken much of his brain as he loved singing “Blue Skies” in the last stages of his life. John lived life on purpose each day while creating a legacy of integrity, quiet strength, and unconditional love that will be carried on by the generations who follow him.

John Beaton died September 3, 2012. John’s family includes his wife, Nanette Beaton; 3 children: Elinor (Joe) Gressick, Kay Beaton (Kirk Johnston), and Ian (Jill) Beaton; and 7 grandchildren: Brett, Kimberly, Allison, Heather, Tyler, Nigel and Fiona. Visit with John’s family and friends on Friday from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, Betzler – Kalamazoo; 6080 Stadium Dr., 375-2900. Memorial donations may be directed to Alzheimer’s Association of Southwest Michigan or Great Lakes Caring Hospice. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory.