Thank you to our family and friends…

June 2, 2020

In Memoriam – PCEC Volunteer Jake Beddoe 

With utmost grief and disbelief, we regret to inform our PCEC family that one of our own has passed on. EC90 Saint Vincent RPCV Jake Beddoe passed away unexpectedly in his sleep last Wednesday, May 27th. 

Volunteers who served with Jake shared stories and photos of him in tribute:

“Our EC 90 SVG cohort is made up of a motley crew – we are diverse, from the West Coast, Midwest, South and East Coast – from cities, towns and rural areas across the US.  Each of us brought our own unique hopes, aspirations and perspectives yet united behind a common endeavor – Peace Corps service.  Through the challenges, so far away from home, we held each other close.  We could have been divided by race, age, sexuality, class, gender or just opinions.  Instead the experience brought us closer together. Jake was one of us – ours.  Our bond runs deep.  The news of his passing is like the sea receding without the promise of hitting the shore again.  A stagnant lapse, a stillness, where his memory flows, returns what he gave each of us, a piece of his heart, that will live on." – Quinta S.  

“Jake was a light within our cohort. He was a smile which could lighten the mood of even the most distressing of situations. He was a laugh in the toughest of times during our service together.  Jake had a simple and a natural ability to make us smile, make us laugh, and to make sure that we were enjoying every moment we had together. He was a best friend, a confidant, a brother, and a teacher.  We will remember the Jake who loved his students and his host mom’s daily bible quotes. Who loved to make up funny little songs and talk in funny little accents. Who loved to make friends everywhere he went and have fancy little drinks. We are so grateful to have these memories of Jake; to have known him, to have been helped by him, and to have loved him." – Myranda J.

“Peace Corps is hard, but Jake always made it feel less so. He always had a way of making any situation feel lighter. Whether it was in our darker moments of service, or the highest of highs, Jake always lightened the air or reminded us of a reason to celebrate. We will miss his boisterous laugh, the way he got louder with each drink, his own shorthand that he always seemed to speak in, and his ability to conjure up a laugh, no matter what. Jake will always be remembered as a light and a source of warmth on our already tropical island. We are so grateful to Jake for always giving us a reason to celebrate with a drink on the beach, and we are all better for having known him, laughed with him, and loved him." – Kelsey M.

“Jake always made me laugh. There was never a dull moment with him. He was so kind and empathetic. I cried when I found out I was going to Vincy because I didn’t want to be separated from my St Lucian host family. Jake came and hugged me to make me feel better. When we were sent back to St Lucia because of the [2019 SVG] evacuation, his jokes were therapeutic for me. I remember how we were on the bus ride from the Pastoral Center and being dropped off to our host families when we were first evacuated. We kept joking about how we should be accommodated more because we’d been through so much. I have nothing but good memories of him. He reached out to me from time to time to see how I was doing after he left last year. It saddens me how young he was. I don’t know why he’s gone, but each time I think about him, I’ll always smile." – Brooke D. 

We will do our best to keep you updated on funeral service arrangements and where you can send condolences to the Beddoe family. 

If you need to talk, please reach out. You do not need to grieve alone, your PCEC family is here for you.