Long-time math teacher and beloved Oxford educator Mrs. Jeanne Beckett passed away on Saturday, Mar. 22, 2025, at 79 years old. Mrs. Beckett taught for 43 years, serving Oxford students for 24 of them.
Mrs. Beckett passed away peacefully surrounded by family members and colleagues. Oxford administration notified parents on Monday, Mar. 24, over spring break, via Aeries communication and email. Upon returning from break, students were notified in their first period on Monday, Mar. 31.
Oxford teachers, students, and community members alike were deeply impacted by the loss of Mrs. Beckett and the loving environment she had fostered on campus.
“Mrs. Beckett didn’t come to work every day. She came to school every day, and there’s a difference. It wasn’t work for her, because she loved her job so much. She came to school just like students did,” Principal Amber Houston said. “She just loved what she did so much, and that’s why she taught so long.”
“Mrs. Beckett was a best friend and mother figure to all of us at Oxford. She was kind, loving, loyal, and the best listener anyone could ask for. I was so blessed to call her my friend for the past 24 years, and I will miss her every single day for the rest of my life,” history teacher Mrs. Shanon Groover said.
“I’m really going to miss seeing and talking to Mrs. Beckett at least two or three times a day. Every day. She was always so loving and helpful, and so sweet and smart,” fellow math teacher Mr. Jeremy Wittman said.
“She was the kindest person I’ve ever met. There were absolutely no limits to her humility and love, and she never forgot to remind us that students were safe with her. I’d always be able to pop into her class if I needed a water or just wanted to chat, and she’d always welcome me with open arms,” former Becketteer Cluster student and senior Mikayla Mariano said. “She would always host little Cluster parties for us despite Cluster being gone. I admired her passion for teaching and making an impact on her students’ lives. Most of all, I’m going to miss experiencing her unconditional love, because there’s seriously nothing like it, and it was such a blessing to be able to know her.”
Oxford is partnered with Hazel Health to provide students with free telehealth services, including online therapy sessions and resources for grief. Students may also reach out to a member of the school mental health team through the counseling office or social worker Ms. Jacqueline Lopez.
Mrs. Beckett was a cornerstone to the Oxford community, and is missed dearly. A longer tribute article to Mrs. Beckett will be published in The Gamut’s May issue.
