GREENFIELD — A passionate environmentalist, a loving father, a dedicated public servant: These are the words used by family and friends to describe John Bean at a memorial service on Sunday after the retired DPW employee was thought to have committed suicide earlier this month.
Community members crowded into the Second Congregational Church to honor and celebrate the life that Bean led, the family that he left behind, and the memories that those who knew him will hold onto. The afternoon was filled with stories told, poetry read and music played in dedication to Bean and his family.
Although his body has not yet been discovered, Bean is thought to have committed suicide at age 66 by the French King Bridge on May 18. A former DPW superintendent, Bean had been suffering from depression and had been placed on medication, according his wife, Jan Jee Bean.
Police found her husband’s Prius parked, unlocked, at the French King Bridge, a spot that has gained a reputation for suicide attempts over the years.
The news of the apparent suicide preceded the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announcing plans to construct a barrier on the French King Bridge to prevent suicide attempts, according to a spokesperson for MassDOT.
The memorial service was a tribute to Bean’s life, but also served as a public service announcement.
Leading the ceremony, Rev. Sarah Pirtle reminded the audience that it’s OK to reach out for help with depression.
Family and friends rose to the podium in the church to share their respects and say goodbye to the man who touched their lives. Each speaker lit a candle after saying goodbye to the man who was their friend, colleague, brother, husband and father.
“John, I love you and I really miss you,” said Bean’s older brother, Tom Bean.
“John was quite honestly the best man I’ve ever known,” said longtime friend and college roommate Richard Newberry. He recalled a 50-year friendship that ended too soon. “Farewell, John, until we meet again.”
Bean’s wife Jan Jee read two poems that she wrote for her husband.
“This warm body, lying next to me — plush as velvet — gently bobbing with breath like a buoy on ocean waves. This is my chosen one,” Bean’s wife said, reciting the first poem. Her husband, she said, was her best friend, her advocate and her protector. “My personal, living treasure who witnesses miracles, monotony and tragedy at my side.”
Bean’s daughters Henken Bean, 30, and Hallie Bean, 26, shared some of their memories of their dad.
Bean’s wife reported that her husband had been feeling anxious and depressed while away on a trip to Florida, where the couple had spent the last four winters.
At the memorial, he was remembered as a problem-solver, a man who could fix anything, a civil engineer, an artist and a musician.
Donations can be made to the John Bean Fund to buy the DPW a new piece of equipment. All donations can be sent to Janine Greaves at the Town of Greenfield, DPW, 14 Court Square, Greenfield, MA 01301.
You can reach Lisa Spear at:
lspear@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 280