The Guadalajara Reporter
Guadalajara's Largest English Newspaper
A “new” tequila aged for 21 years is to about to be launched by the Casa Xalisco distillery, with the aim of establishing the drink internationally alongside vintage cognacs and whiskys.
Judy King
Judy King, a 34-year resident of Mexico and former columnist of this newspaper died November 11.
Born February 20, 1945 in Denison, Iowa to Fred and Marcelyn Hoffman, Judy was a fifth generation Iowa resident. She arrived at Lake Chapala from southern California in October 1990. Before she moved here, she visited Guadalajara and Lake Chapala twice with a tour titled, “Retirement in Mexico—101.” The bilingual and bi-cultural tour organizer awakened in her a deep fascination for the history, music, traditions, and holidays of Mexico.
The first decade at Lakeside, Judy put her own spin on selling real estate. Even as a co-broker of a local Re/Max office, she always made helping newcomers learn to live at lakeside top priority, even above closing a deal.
By 2001 Judy found a way to better share those tips and skills. She co-founded the online magazine, Living at Lake Chapala. By the fifth year, she was the sole owner-editor and with a talented team of writers she continued publishing the magazine and hosting the weekly Mexico Insights newcomer seminars until 2013.
During her eight-year stint as editor of the monthly print magazine, Lake Chapala Review, she led her team in publishing Point South, a slick, high-end 120-page magazine distributed by the Globe and Mail in Canada.
Shortly after the Review folded, Judy was tapped for her last position, columnist and reporter for the weekly newspaper, Guadalajara Reporter.
During those working years, she also designed lines of accessory pieces that were then hand-crafted locally for export to interior design professionals and department stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, edited books for local authors, and wrote and published her own two books, “Living at Lake Chapala” and “Echoes from the Wall: Real Stories of Mexican Migrants.”
The mother of three adult children, Judy has five granddaughters and ten beautiful great-grandchildren. She shared her Ajijic home with her rescue dogs—Milagros who is a Lab/Rottie mix and Coco, a small white shaggy mix.
After she retired in 2017, Judy continued to enjoy research, but also had time for friends, reading, church, and her newest obsessions: playing ukulele, quilting, making jewelry, clay art and genealogy. She began teaching classes for expats to learn about Mexico through literature at the Lake Chapala Society.
She is survived by her children, sons Steve King of Bedford, Iowa, Mick King (and Dawn Fayerweather) of Rochester, Minnesota, and Susannah (and J.J. Robb) King, of Bloomington, Minnesota, granddaughters Susan Villamil of New Market, Iowa, Rosalee (Randy) Payne of Lenox, Iowa, Linda (Eric) St. John, Zuleika (Josh) Good and Virginia (Cole) Park, all of Bedford, Iowa and her great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her children’s father, David R. King, daughter-in-law Maria King, husband Phillip L. Larson and companion Bill Resnick.
A memorial Mass will be held Sunday, November 24, 9 a.m. at el Templo de San Andres in Ajijic.
Douglas Walter Beckingham
Douglas Walter Beckingham passed away peacefully on November 5, at the age of 88, in the arms of his beloved wife, Anita, with whom he shared a beautiful journey for 64 years.
Born in 1936 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Doug had an innate talent for sales and built a fulfilling career in the field.
Together with Anita and their two-week-old son, he embarked on new adventures in Ontario, where he continued to excel as a sales executive. Eventually, their journey took them to Los Angeles, where he pursued his career with dedication and success.
Doug was a devoted husband and father, a constant source of strength and support for his family. His love for them was boundless, and he brought joy, laughter, and a profound sense of security to their lives. Known for his sense of humor, Doug could lift any mood with his jokes and was affectionately called “the human calculator” by his children for his quick mathematical skills, whether calculating tips or solving a problem faster than any device. Doug’s warm smile and eagerness to meet new people made him a beloved figure in every community he joined.
Following his retirement, Doug and Anita spent several years traveling the world before settling in Ajijic, where he embraced the culture and warmth of the community. For over 22 years, Doug fully immersed himself in the vibrant life of Ajijic, participating in numerous social and cultural activities and creating lasting memories.
A devoted father to Beth and David, and a caring father-in-law to Teresa, Doug was also a cherished grandfather to Kira and Kristina. He is survived by his sister Valery (Earl) and joins his late sisters Sharon and Sandra. Doug’s warm and gentle presence will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and everyone whose lives he touched.
A service to celebrate Doug’s life will be held at a later date.
Yvette Irene Clevish
Former winter Lakeside resident Yvette Irene Clevish passed away on August 24 in Cave Creek, Arizona.
Lotus (Sherry) Lee Miller
Lotus (Sherry) Lee Miller passed away on September 10 at Lakeside’s Hospital San Antonio, at the age of 70, after a courageous battle following a stroke in 2023.
Horst Wilhelm Peter
Lakeside resident Horst Wilhelm Peter died July 25 at the age of 88 at the Hospital San Antonio from complications following surgery.
Sigrid Metzger
Ajijic resident Sigrid Metzger (née Knab) died on August 17 at the age of 83, due to complications following hip replacement surgery.
Richard Ross Mitchell
Longtime lakeside resident Ross Mitchell passed away suddenly on July 7.
Irma Vargas Sánchez
Irma Vargas Sánchez, a pioneer in lakeside’s real estate sector, passed away on Thursday, August 29, at the age of 72.
Christine Kosmicki
