Harold Lee Beam

Lenoir, NC- Harold Lee Beam, aged 71, of Stephenson Court, Lenoir, left this Earth to be with the Lord Jesus on Thanksgiving Morning, 2006. He was born on April 28, 1935 in Lincoln County, North Carolina. He grew up in Cherryville, NC and left to join the United States Army in 1953, where he was stationed in Fort Eustice, VA, Fort Benning, GA and later on a tugboat in the North Atlantic. PFC Beam received an Honorable Discharge in 1956. He enrolled in Appalachian State Teacher's College and with help from the GI Bill, graduated in 1960. While there, he met his wife to be, Helen Willys Snow. They were married on March 5, 1960 and moved to Michigan where he taught in Elementary, Jr. High and Senior High School. His specialty was American History. He earned his Master of Arts Degree in Guidance and Counseling at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. As a teacher, he started and coached the Jr. High Wresting Program in Walled Lake, Michigan. In addition, he also started the wrestling program at West Highland Christian Academy, a small Christian school near their home. He and his family lived in Michigan until he retired from teaching after 30 years. He moved back to North Carolina in 1991 with his wife and two youngest children. Harold was an avid fisherman and hunter while he lived in Michigan and enjoyed trips to Canada with his friends; on one trip he met Sr. Edmund Hillary. Harold was an excellent singer, and particularly enjoyed singing as a member of the Milford (Michigan) Barbershop Quartet as a baritone. Favorite songs included "Nothing Could be Finer than to be in Carolina in the Morning", "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", "The Battle of New Orleans", "Take An Old Cold 'Tater and Wait", "I'm My Own Grandpa", and many Southern Gospel songs. In Caldwell County, he was politically active and enjoyed socializing with friends of both parties. Harold was appointed to the position of Lovelady Republican Precinct Chairman and served for many years. He was a member of the American Legion and was actively involved with Post 29 Baseball where he was the score keeper for the team. Mr. Beam was a member of the First Baptist Church of Hudson. Surviving family members include his loving wife, Helen (Snow) Beam of the home; sons, John William Beam of Lansing, Michigan and Thomas Jonathan Beam of Granite Falls; daughters, Helga Lauretta (Lewis) and husband Randall Jon Lewis of Okemos, Michigan and Annamarie Louise (Clark) and her husband Joshua Ian Clark of Granite Falls; grandsons, Jonathan Randall Lewis, Zachary Sean Lewis, Dawson Lee Clark, and granddaughter, Megan Savannah Clark. He was preceded in death by his parents William Floyd Beam and Addie Belle (Hoyle) Beam, and brother William Floyd Beam, Jr., all of Cherryville. Funeral services will be conducted 1:30 PM Monday, November 27, 2006 at First Baptist Church of Hudson with Dr. Wade Dellinger officiating. Burial will follow in the Sardis Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday from 2-4 PM at Evans Funeral Service of Lenoir and again on Monday from 12 until 1:00 prior to the service. Pallbearers will be: Randy Lewis, Gary Hamby, Joshua Clark, Jimmy Gilbert, Steve Bumgardner and Carl, ?Boozie? Dellinger. Online condolences may be sent to the Beam Family at www.evansfuneralservice.com In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that memorials be made to American Legion Post 29 Baseball, PO Box 752 Lenoir, NC 28645 or to the Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care, 902 Kirkwood Street NW, Lenoir, NC 28645. Harold was loved very much and will be sorely missed. We look forward to a glorious reunion one day in Heav PDF Printable Version