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• Worker drowns in Woodbridge canal

• Bernel found guilty

• Battle for the board

• Man, 72, dies after Acampo crash

• Regional Roundup

November 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 7th, 2009

• Lodi High graduate was at Fort Hood

• Lining up for flu shots in Lodi

• Tour packs buses as birdwatchers admire Sandhill cranes

• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks

• Daytime thieves targeting Lodi homes

• Lodi High School rally featured on 'Good Day Sacramento'

• Out of control

• Homicide suspect Anthony Hubbard arraigned

• Regional Roundup

• New Lodi Memorial rule to combat spread of H1N1: Visitors must be older than 16

November 6th, 2009

• Short sales make up nearly half of Lodi market

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi man accused of smuggling drugs, weapons for inmates at state prison

• 'I-5 Strangler' sentenced to 6 terms of life

• Jury convicts Acampo man of torture, assault of his girlfriend

• Young girl is 200,000th person to assemble AIDS, HIV care kit

• Woman in wheelchair struck by car

November 5th, 2009

• A lower Lodi Lake

• Streetside scarecrows

• San Joaquin County considers moratorium on new Williamson Act contracts

• Speakers address Lodi Unified School District budget shortfalls, plea to keep programs

• Armed robbers still targeting Lodi shops

• Regional Roundup

• California voters have final say over $11 billion water bond

• Weekend bus service to continue until Lodi City Council makes decision

• Paul Tebbel shines spotlight on sandhill cranes

• Your complete guide to Sandhill Crane Festival

• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy

• Man wanted in Acampo homicide gives up to San Joaquin County Sheriff's detectives

November 4th, 2009

• Candle fire

• Rep. Jerry McNerney sets telephone town hall for Thursday

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

• Regional Roundup

• Galt City Council argues over ordinance hiring residents

• San Joaquin County sues state over prison hospital planned for Stockton

• Big win for Allen Baroni in reclamation election

• California sends Democratic loyalist John Garamendi to Congress

• Bicycling father raising awareness of teen suicide

• Lodi City Council weighs raising fares to restore some bus service

November 3rd, 2009

• 500 attend service for Kyle Coumas

• Correction

• Galt considers ordinance that would require city contractors to hire locally

• Regional Roundup

• Have you seen a missing guide dog puppy in Lodi?

• Galt man dies after weekend Highway 12 crash

• Jason Behrmann is top candidate for Galt city manager

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

• Clarification

November 2nd, 2009

• Downtown Lodi trick or treat

• Public Meetings

• Correction

• Kyle Coumas funeral today

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Regional Roundup

• Group investigates reports of haunting

• Sandhill Cranes Festival comes to Lodi next weekend

• Lamborghini lovers gather for show, fine wine, luncheon in Woodbridge

• Lodi's 'Biggest Loser' Christy Richesin runs 5K Halloween race

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Bidding on Beckman

One of Lodi's native sons left behind a legacy of smiles and a bit of history

Lodi lost a colorful piece of its history when Charlie Beckman died in the beginning of 2008. But in his passing, Beckman left an almost-archaelogical inventory of his life, including a pie safe, a painting by a local artist and antique clocks and radios.

Charlie Beckman

Now it's all for sale.

Many recall Charlie Beckman as an affable farmer, a lifelong bachelor — and a man who loved beans.

On Sunday, Ogren's Auction house in Lodi will be putting Beckman's vast and eclectic estate up for sale.

In the 1850s, the Beckman family came to the United States from the central part of Germany. A majority of the clan eventually settled in Lodi, when they realized how deep and fertile the soil was here. Beckman's parents were among those who planted their roots, and he was born in 1918.

Beckman's parents built their ranch on Kettleman Lane in 1926, and the house — which eventually became Beckman's — is still standing. Many pass the brick home on the corner of Kettleman and Beckman Road every day.

As Beckman and his brother Bill grew up, they helped to work the surrounding farmland. While Bill Beckman became a stock broker, Charlie Beckman stayed in agriculture, never marrying and becoming known around his beloved Lodi for his overalls and good-hearted nature.

"All the restaurants knew him, and people didn't think he had a nickel," said local historian Ralph Lea.

Most who knew Charlie Beckman knew of his devout faith and ethical approach to life.

Since Charlie Beckman never took a bride, and never had children of his own, the responsibility of the property went to his niece, Marcia Beckman.

Calvin Ogren, owner of Ogren's Auction, met Charlie Beckman about the same time Ogren set up shop in Lodi, around 14 years ago. Ogren got to know the friendly farmer quite well, so there's a special significance in this Sunday's auction.

"Charlie was such a neat guy," Ogren said, while reviewing the almost infinite items from the Beckman home.

Ogren studied boxes of glassware made by the Libby Glass plant. The boxes have never been opened.

When Charlie Beckman's parents died, he left their rooms as they were, a museum-like state. The beds and bedroom sets (possibly constructed in the '40s) are available to become a part of another family's history.

And not far from the Winchester rifles, ammo and fishing poles is the delicately painted Chintz tea cup and saucer, with a unique design that appeals to a wide range of china collectors.

Yet it's not the stuff found throughout the auction house that Ogren will remember his friend Charlie Beckman for. It's the stuff that set the bachelor apart that Ogren will remember.

"He loved beans. Charlie would tell me all the ways he could cook beans, and wanted me to come over for dinner some time," Ogren said, smiling at the memory. How much did Charlie Beckman love beans? "He always wanted to open a bean restaurant."

One could say Charlie Beckman, as well as his parents, loved to cook in general, as Marcia Beckman found 5,000 categorized recipes.

Perhaps the items that defined Charlie Beckman and the history of the Beckman family more than the antique clocks and radios, the 1930s Heywood Wakefield chair or oil-on-canvas painting by Lodi's own Laurence Hosmer were the tools.

Every year, Charlie Beckman added more and more tools to his already bursting barn. So many that Ogren's will be having a second auction on Oct. 30 just for the "Mr. Tokay" grape crates, sorting tables, the pie safe (used for cooling pies in the old days) and myriad of other agricultural items.

Still, it's the gentle, community-conscious spirit and affable personality that people will remember Charlie Beckman for the most.

"Charlie was one of a kind," Lea said.

Contact Business Editor Marc Lutz at marcl@lodinews.com.