Mr. Leonard "Whitey" Hunter Beckett, 100, passed peacefully Tuesday morning, September 2, 2025, at his home with family by his side.  Born in Ballard WV on October 24, 1924 the only child to the late Edna and Oren Beckett of Indian Mills, WV.  Leonard graduated from Forest Hills High School in 1942.  Leonard was a veteran of WWII, serving in the U. S. Navy as a Boatswain Mate-3m Class from June 1943 to November 1947. He received the American Area Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal and WWII Victory Medal. He was stationed in the Great Lakes, the ammunition depot Hawthorne NV, December 1943 shipped out of Port Hueneme, CA to the South Pacific aboard the USS Celeno ak76 to the Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides islands, and to the Greene Islands where he stayed over a year, then to the Admiralty Islands. He returned to the states and re-enlisted in January 1946. His next station was aboard the USS Washington where he made two midshipman training cruises to the Caribbean and Panama. The USS Washington was then put in Brooklyn Navy Yard and decommissioned. Went to Charleston, SC where he maintained destroyers and destroyer escorts that had been decommissioned. Upon leaving the Navy he settled back in WV. After leaving the Navy he lived in Clarksburg, WV and worked for WV Mine Supply and then Pringle Motors while training on a GI bill. In January 1950 he worked on construction at the VA hospital in Clarksburg, then moved to Princeton in July 1950. He worked at Woods Motor Sales and Walls Chevrolet. On January 9, 1956, he purchased Athens Garage from Dewey Turnes and remained there until retiring in November 1986. Since "retiring he has enjoyed doing woodwork making clocks, lamps, tables, lazy susans and various other pieces.  Leonard was an avid fan of NASCAR and enjoyed attending the races with friends Chuck Cole and the late Walter Fielder, Bill Tolley and Jim Shepherd. He loved watching the Atlanta Braves, WVU Football and Basketball teams. He has also been on several bowling leagues which he loved doing so much that after having double knee replacements he was bowling six weeks after surgery at the age of 84. He has been a member of Johnston Chapel Church since 1960 and was an active member of the DMA Group at the church and the Farm Bureau. Leonard is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Sylvia Mandeville Beckett of 77 years, and son David Alan Beckett. Those left to cherish his memory, daughters, Barbara (Roger) Stepp of Christiansburg, VA; Kathy of Princeton, WV; and son, Stephen Beckett of Hiwassee, VA. Grandchildren; Barry (Lisa) Stepp of Christiansburg VA, Beverly Kruger of Advance, NC and Rachel (Ernie) Compton of Riner, VA. Great grandchildren, Kayla Stepp of Vonore, TN, Mackenzie Stepp of Lynchburg, VA and Emma Stepp of Radford, VA; Lanah Kruger of Advance, NC, Colt (Kaidyn) Compton in USAF stationed in Italy; Gunner Compton of Riner, VA and great great grandson Remington Compton of Italy. While we already miss him dearly and mourn his passing, as long as we live we will cherish his wit and wisdom, his devotion to work and family, the countless happy memories and our good times together, and the wonderful example of how to live and love like Christ that he has left with us all. The family would like to thank Amedisys Hospice for the great care they provided. Services honoring the life of Leonard Beckett will be held 1:00 P.M. Tuesday, September 9, 2025, at Johnston Chapel Baptist Church with Pastor Dan Thyng officiating. Burial will follow at Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Friends may visit with the family at the church from 11 am until the service hour. The service will be live streamed.  Memorial contributions may be made to Summit Christian Academy c/o Johnston Chapel Baptist Church, 984 Halls Ridge Road, Princeton, WV 24739. Friends and family will serve as pallbearers. Online condolences may be shared with the family via www.memorialfd.com The Beckett family is being served by the Memorial Funeral Directory & Cremation Center on the Athens Road in Princeton