James Ralph Beasley Jr.

Jim was born on Ju ly 29, 1934, in Blakely, Georgia, son of James Ralph Beasley Sr. and Sarah McArthur. His family moved to Lake Wales Florida, where he graduated high school in 1952. He attended Jones Business College in Jacksonville, Florida, and graduated in 1953.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving honorably from 1953 – 1958. He graduated USAF Russian Language School in Syracuse, New York, in November 1954. He was stationed at various locations, including Saint Lawrence Island, Alaska.

He attended the University of Florida from 1958 – 1961, He worked in the rail freight and motor freight industry from 1961–1996. He retired from Arkansas Freightways in July 1996.

He loved golf and played table tennis in his younger days and was an avid sports fan, particularly of his beloved University of Florida Gators and all SEC sports.

He attended St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Katy Texas until he became disabled.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by brother Claude Beasley, wife Kay Beasley, daughter Robyn (Beasley) Brooks and her husband Mike Brooks, son Jay Beasley and his wife Kathy, stepdaughters Anne (Batton) Hedrich and husband Joerg, and Laura Batton, granddaughters Lindsay (Brooks) Bishop and her husband Bryan, Renee Brooks, Melissa (Beasley) Lake and her husband Wes, and grandson James Brandon Beasley and wife Erin. He had 4 great-grandchildren, Sherman Wayne Lake, Savannah Rae Lake, Malcolm James Beasley, and Walter Eric Bishop. Also, step-grandsons Timothy Collins Hanson, Ryan Michael Hanson, and Garland Lawrence Waldrop III.