Father Francis W. Beksha Pilot file photo
Father Francis W. Beksha passed to the Lord on April 17 in Medway. He was 93 years old.
Born in Medway on Feb. 27, 1920, he was one of five children of Joseph and Mary (Mikelonis) Beksha.
After graduating from Boston College in 1942, he attended St. John's Seminary and was ordained to the priesthood on June 14, 1946 by then-Archbishop Richard J. Cushing at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
His first assignment following ordination was as an assistant pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in Cambridge. In November 1950 he was assigned assistant pastor at Sacred Heart Church in Lynn, where he spent ten years until being assigned assistant pastor at St. Matthew Church in Dorchester. His final assignment as assistant pastor was to St. Joseph Church in Malden in 1968.
In August 1971, Archbishop Humberto S. Medeiros named Father Beksha pastor of St. Thomas Church in Millis where he would remain for almost 20 years. He entered senior priest status in September 1990, first residing at St. Mary Church in Franklin until December 1997 when he took up residence at Regina Cleri. In 2002, he took up private home residence in Medway.
Father Beksha's funeral Mass was celebrated April 23 at St. Joseph Church, Medway. The principal celebrant was to be Msgr. Timothy J. Moran, with concelebrant Father Robert J. Congdon. The homilist was to be Father Thomas J. Walsh with Bishop Walter J. Edyvean celebrating the commendation.
Interment was to be at St. Joseph Cemetery in Medway.