Thomas (Tom) Lee Beale (age 93) died March 22, 2017, in Roseburg, OR, after battling cancer for the past year. He was born on June 23, 1923, in Norfolk, VA, second son of the late William Elton Beale (1888-1985) and the late Ruth Eleanor Boyce Beale (1886-1974). His wife of 64 years, Doris Ellen McGrady Beale (1925-2011), preceded him in death as did his son, Thomas (Tommy) Lee Beale II (1958-1979) and his brother, William (Billy) Elton Beale Jr. He is survived by his two daughters, Marilyn Lee Reese (Lynn ) of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Cynthia Renee Kent (Jerry) of Roseburg, Oregon; five grandchildren, John Reese (Ellie), Jim Reese, Matthew Kent (Carrie), Courtney Kent McMaster (Steve) and Emmalee Kent Carnagey (Jerame); and ten great- grandchildren, William Reese, Charles Reese, Jarod Potter-Kent, Dillon Potter-Kent, Teighan Carnagey, Taeryn Carnagey, Graesen Carnagey, Liam McMaster, Ewan McMaster, and Bennett McMaster. Tom also leaves behind many good friends in local veterans’ groups, at Lampeter United Methodist Church and Willow Valley Retirement Community, in Rising Sun, MD, throughout the U.S., Germany and Holland.

Tom graduated from Granby High School in Norfolk, VA, in 1941. He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the U. S. Navy (1942 to 1946) on the USS Antietam (CV-36) aircraft carrier as a Weather Specialist. In 1947, he married Doris Ellen McGrady, and they moved to Blacksburg, Virginia, where he attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VA Tech) for three years on the GI Bill. He then entered the new U.S. Air Force as an aviation cadet and flew C-119 aircraft in Germany and Michigan, and KC-97 tanker aircraft in Missouri. Upon retirement from the Air Force, Major Beale and Doris moved to Doris’ hometown of Rising Sun, Maryland, and then to Willow Valley Retirement Community, Willow Street, PA. In the past few years, he has been very active at Lampeter United Methodist Church, serving in Stephen Ministry, greeting friends and visitors at Sunday morning services, cashiering at Wednesday night dinners and participating in various groups and learning opportunities.

A service for Tom will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at Lampeter United Methodist Church, 1101 Village Road, Lampeter, PA 17602 and he will be buried at Hopewell Cemetery, 1811 Hopewell Road, Port Deposit, MD 21904 on May 13, 2017 at 2:30 p.m. next to his beloved wife Doris and son Tommy. The family wishes to thank all of Tom’s friends and care givers for their many kindnesses and requests that he be remembered through his church, Lampeter UMC, P.O. Box 188, Lampeter, PA, 17537, Hospice of Lancaster Co., PA, 685 Good Drive, Lancaster, PA, 17604, or Amedisys Hospice Care, 1820 NW Muholland Drive, Roseburg, OR 97470.