Francis Joseph Beatty Jr.

“Skipper” was born on February 20, 1931 at Mercy Hospital in Charlotte. He was the son of Colonel and Mrs. Francis J. Beatty and grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Augustus Williams and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Beatty.

Skipper attended the O’Donahue School, Alexander Graham Junior High and graduated from Central High in 1948. That year he enrolled at The Citadel, where he was a proud member of the “Summerville Guards”, a specialized drill unit. After graduation from The Citadel in 1952, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, following in the footsteps of his father, also a proud Army veteran. Skipper then attended “The Infantry School” at Fort Benning, Georgia, before he was stationed at Camp Breckinridge in Kentucky. There, he was an instructor in the “Leadership School”. He landed in Korea in 1953, just as that war was coming to an end. After the Army, Skipper spent several years in sales at U.S. Plywood and WBT Radio before joining Freeman-McClintock, a highly-respected Charlotte real estate company. He later formed his own realty company, and was active in the Charlotte market for many years. He was a member of the Charlotte Cotillion Club and the Rotary Club.

Skipper is a direct descendent of William Williams, who is credited for writing the first American novel, “Mr. Penrose: The Journal of Penrose.” William Williams was the father of William Joseph Williams, an artist who painted portraits of George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

Skipper was a proud brother to his two late sisters, Anne Beatty McKenna and Kitty Beatty Gaston. He is survived by his brother, Richard “Dick” Curtis Beatty, a niece, nephew and many cousins.

Skipper always had an interest in the welfare of animals, so in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Skipper’s name to The African Wildlife Foundation or the Humane Society.

His family wishes to thank the healthcare providers at Brookdale Carriage Club, Clare Bridge, for their care of Skipper during the last two years.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcewenpinevillechapel.com.