LYNN — Ronald Arthur Beckett, a Lynn Trade alumnus, machinist, and tireless advocate for vocational education, will be honored posthumously with the renaming of the Lynn Tech machine shop in his name.
The dedication of the Ronald Arthur Beckett Machining Center will take place on May 12 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria of the main building at Lynn Vocational Technical Institute. A light meal will be served. The event is organized by the Lynn Tech Alumni Association, where Beckett served as secretary on the executive board.
Beckett, who passed away unexpectedly on May 1, 2021, graduated from Lynn Trade’s Machine Shop program in 1955. He went on to become a master machinist and business owner, founding American Mechanical Machine Shop, where he specialized in repairing industrial components with minor manufacturing defects.
He remained deeply connected to his alma mater throughout his life. Beckett hired and mentored Lynn Tech students, giving them hands-on experience in his garage-based workshop. He also founded the Ron Beckett Agency, which connected companies looking to outsource machining projects with specialized shops that could handle the work.
During the financial strain of Proposition 2½ and other funding shortfalls, Beckett played a crucial role in supporting the school. He secured surplus materials from companies like GE and United Shoe, obtained cables for the electrical shop, and repurposed hardwood from King’s Lanes bowling alley for the carpentry program.
A vocal defender of vocational education, Beckett wrote letters to the editor, spoke with state lawmakers, and organized trips for students, parents, and local officials to tour modern vocational schools. He challenged outdated stereotypes about the machining industry, emphasizing its cleanliness, high wages, and technical sophistication.
When the machine shop program at Lynn Tech was closed in 2009 due to budget cuts, Beckett approached machinist Mike Pickering — then a former teacher at the school — and encouraged him to return and help revive the program. Beckett and other business leaders successfully lobbied the School Committee to reopen the shop, highlighting its importance to the local workforce.
Their efforts led to significant investment. With over $3 million in equipment grants and support from the GE Foundation, the shop was fully remodeled into a state-of-the-art training center.
Beckett also served in the National Guard and held multiple pilot licenses, including for helicopters. He enjoyed woodworking, marathon running, boating, and fishing, and was known for helping those in need.
His life’s work lives on through the students he mentored and the modern machining program he helped rebuild — one that continues to serve Lynn’s youth and workforce today.
