The death of Westlock resident Laura Letts Beckett and the subsequent murder charge laid against her husband Peter Beckett, as well as his ongoing court proceedings, has struck an emotional chord in this community.
There is, however, something positive to have come out of this — the creation of a memorial fund in her name, which will be used to buy playground equipment in Dapp. Letts Beckett was a popular teacher at Dapp School, and her death has had a significant effect at that institution.
It is for that reason the fund was created to make a lasting legacy.
“We’ve had a committee of parents, working with myself, looking at playground equipment,” principal Wendy Scinski said. “That’s something we knew collectively that Laura was very passionate about. She would have loved that.”
Letts Beckett died Aug. 18, 2010 after falling from a boat near Shelter Bay Provincial Park near Revelstoke, B.C. Her husband was charged with her death and arrested Aug. 12. He appeared in Salmon Arm Provincial Court Aug. 30, at which time a bail hearing was scheduled for Sept. 27.
Letts Beckett was always a strong proponent of having equipment and toys available for the students to play on, and Scinski said she was distraught to learn that some of the equipment was being taken out. In particular, there were a bunch of tires that the children would use to make forts and so on.
“I told her the tires are going too, and she was so distraught. After her death, we had a moment where someone said I wonder if we go back in the bushes if Laura hid some of the tires. She was just very, very passionate about making sure the kids had equipment to play on.”
The fund was started at the August 2010 memorial service held for Letts Beckett.
People were encouraged to make donations instead of buying flowers. The money was supplemented with funds raised at a silent auction and there is now more than $10,000 set aside for a new playground.
“That part is done; now it’s just a matter of making sure the money’s in place to get a matching grant to get it underway,” Scinski said.
In addition, a committee has been set up to plan and establish a memorial to Letts Beckett in an area of the playground that has been designated a quiet space. Scinski said they hope to plant some flowers and beautify the area, although that endeavor is still in the early planning stages.
Scinski said she could not think of a more appropriate memorial for the teacher, given the instrumental role she played in making sure students had plenty of equipment and toys to use.
“She was instrumental in making sure we had sand and toys for the kids. Laura would be out bargain hunting looking for things for the kids to play with,” she said.
“It was a passion.”
