Funeral services for Bill Beaver will be held at 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 1, 2021 in the Henderson Chapel, First United Methodist Church, Lufkin, Texas. Interment will be in Wortham Cemetery in Wortham, Texas at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, September 2, 2021.
Bill Beaver was born 102 years ago on July 21, 1919 in Mexia, Texas. His parents were Walter Robert Beaver and Willie Mae Keeling Beaver of Mexia, Texas. Bill was predeceased by his wife of 70 years, Mildred Beaver.
He is survived by two daughters and their husbands, Susan Beaver Cardwell and Trey Cardwell and Pam Beaver Fieldcamp and Steve Fieldcamp; a brother-in-law, James Reese and his wife Carol. He also has three granddaughters, Elizabeth Fieldcamp Clarke, Catherine Fieldcamp Bowen, and Stefanie Fieldcamp Etheridge, and their husbands Braden Clarke, Marty Bowen and Richard Ethridge. There are also four great-grandchildren, Lilah, Rhett, Cole and Barron.
Bill was raised in Mexia, where he went through high school and participated in softball, tennis, football, and student council. It was difficult to go to college following the Depression, but the family managed to get him to Texas Tech where he worked through college, participated in various organizations and continued baseball. The Brooklyn Dodgers tried to recruit Bill, but he chose to work and play ball for CL Brown Oil Co. and turned the Dodger’s down. Just before graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, he enlisted in the Navy in October, 1941.
On February 6, 1942, he was called into World War II active duty, and served until August, 1945. He served in the Pacific on the Minesweeper, The USS Caution, as Lt. W.W. Beaver. He remained in the Naval Reserves until June 15, 1959, when he was honorably discharged. He was very proud and honored to have served his country and loved to tell about his military experiences. While still in the Navy, he married Bennie Mildred Reese from Wortham, Texas on May 22, 1945 in Portland, Oregon.
After release from the Navy, he returned to Mexia, his wife, and a job with the Ford Motor Co. Some years later, he was employed by the Mexia State School as Director of Residential Life and Training and eventually became the Assistant Superintendent of the Mexia school.
In January of 1962, he moved his family to Lufkin, Texas to become the Superintendent of a new school for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The old state-owned radar base became the new school 10 miles outside of Lufkin. It still exists today as the Lufkin State Supported Living Center. He proudly served as Superintendent of the Lufkin State School for the next 24 years until retirement on January 1, 1986. During that time period, he served on numerous boards and advisory committees, both state and local. He was a long-time member of First United Methodist Church and Rotary International. He received National recognition for his work with the intellectually disabled, including the Fellowship in American Association on Mental Retardation, Life Membership of National Association of Superintendents of Public Residential Facilities for the Mentally Retarded, and Humanitarian Award for 1985. He was honored by the Lufkin Chamber of Commerce in 1985 and the Texas House of Representatives in 1987.
After Bill retired in 1986, he was asked to be interim Superintendent of the Austin State School. He served there for a short period but was anxious to get back to his home in Lufkin. From that point, he enjoyed his church, friends, family, golfing and dancing with his wife.
Memorial gifts can be made to the Lufkin State Supported Living Center or to First United Methodist Church, Lufkin, Texas.
The family wants to thank the wonderful staff at the Pinnacle Senior Living and Affinity Hospice for their wonderful loving care.
Those attending the service are encouraged to wear masks.
Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com
Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home.
