Harold Allen Beam Sr.
Harold Allen Beam, Sr., age 96, was born Febr. 3,1919 in Hooks, Texas to Eunice B. Allen and Wade Smith Beam. He died peacefully on March 30, 2015 in his home in Vernon, Texas.
Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 at 2 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Tom Long and Rev. Irl Holt officiating. Interment will follow at Eastview Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Sullivan Funeral Home.
He graduated from high school in Weatherford, Texas. He earned a B.A. Degree from Southern Methodist University and his Master’s Degree from the University of Texas.
He served five years in the U.S. Marine Corp during which time he survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Harold was serving Admiral William Pye aboard the U.S.S. California when the attack came, Dec. 7, 1941. The California was torpedoed as well as bombed. When they were ordered to abandon ship, Mr. Beam swam to safety on nearby Ford Island. Later in July of 1942, while serving in New Zealand with the Second Marine Division, a live grenade exploded in his left hand. A recruit dropped the grenade next to Mr. Beam and in the attempt to remove it, it exploded and he lost the tip of his index and middle fingers.
He taught school and was principal at William Adams High School in Alice, Texas, where he met and married Susan Ann Babcock on June 25, 1955. After working there for five years, he was named superintendent of schools. They had four children: Roger, Nancy, Allen and William.
He moved his family to Vernon in 1965 where he served as Superintendent of Schools for 15 years, retiring in 1980. At that time, he became Chief Appraiser for Wilbarger County. He also taught history at Vernon College. His wife, Ann, preceded him in death on May 13, 1998.
Harold married Virginia Prehn in Vernon, Texas on Nov. 24, 2000, adding to his family four more children: Deborah, Trish, Mark and Lil and nine grandchildren.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Vernon. He was a lifetime member of The Sons of the Confederate Veterans, president of the Eagle Flats Black Powder Shooters Association, lifetime member of the Gen. W.R. Scurry Camp, a member of the Vernon Lions Club, past president of the Red River Valley Museum and a lifetime member of the American Legion. He enjoyed and promoted the lifelong pursuit of learning, especially Civil War and Texas History.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Wade and Eunice Beam, his first wife, Ann Babcock Beam, and step son-in-law Russell Agnew of Fredericksburg, Texas.
He is survived by his loving wife, Virginia of the home, three sons Roger and wife Rochelle Beam of Vernon, Harold Allen Jr. and wife Kim Beam of Uvalde, and William Beam of Reston, Va., and one daughter Nancy and husband Tony Barrier of Muleshoe,
His stepson is Mark Prehn of Fredericksburg, Texas, and step daughters are Deborah Agnew of Fredericksburg, Texas, Trish and husband Mike McCracken of Georgetown, Texas, and Lil Harling of Portland, Texas; grandchildren are Wade and wife Holly Beam, Adam and wife Whitney Beam, Seth and wife Michelle Beam, Owen Parmer, Emma Parmer, Bailey and husband Landon Black, Casey and husband Ernest Contreras, Brittany Emma Beam, Harold Allen Beam III, Camryn Beam, Katie Beam, Emily Beam, and Christopher Beam, and 11 great-grandchildren. Step-grandchildren are Aaron and wife Katie Agnew, Laura and husband Matt Bonser,
Eric and wife Lauren Agnew, Shawn and wife Angie Agnew, Denise Agnew, Allison and husband Jason Henson, Carrie and husband Charlie Watson, Katherine and husband Justin Cole, and Chance Harling. He also has 11 great-grandchildren and great-great- grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to the Harold and Ann Beam Scholarship Fund at Vernon College, the First United Methodist Church of Vernon or the Red River Valley Museum of Vernon.
The family wishes to thank Integracare Hospice and Hospice of Wichita Falls.
Visitation will be held in the First United Methodist Church parlor from 1 p.m., until service time.
Online condolences may be made at sullivanfuneralhomevernon.com.
