John Beckett, an Ann Arbor News sports writer who covered the University of Michigan’s 1989 NCAA basketball championship team and the Fab Five years in the early 1990s, died Tuesday. He was 59.

John Beckett

“He was a very talented and quick writer,” said Geoff Larcom, a former sports editor at The News and now the executive director of media relations at Eastern Michigan University. “He could synthesize stories very quickly, and he loved being out in the fray of events.

“He could take complex issues and topics and really make them clear and report on them in a meaningful fashion.”

Beckett started at The News as a copy editor in 1979 and then moved into sports writing. Prior to The News, he worked at the Brighton Argus for eight years and in radio. He was active as a youth sports coach and in recent years he wrote on his blog.

Jason Whitlock, an award-winning columnist for the Kansas City Star since 1994, worked at The News from 1992-94 and said Beckett helped him.

"I was pretty young, 24, 25 years old, and John was one of the most helpful people on the staff," Whitlock said. "Beckett was the guy who got along with everybody on the staff."

Beckett is survived by his wife of 35 years, Jean; a daughter, Jessica Jones of Royal Oak; sons Josh Beckett of Chicago and Jacob Beckett of Ann Arbor and a granddaughter, Kayla.

Visitation is today from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. and Keehn Funeral Home in Brighton. Services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at the Brighton First United Methodist Church following a one-hour visitation.