Robert Harold “Bob” Beacom, 92, of Clare, died June 26, 2022, at Pioneer Golden Estates. Bob was born to Harold and Ruth (Clegg) Beacom on October 13, 1929, in Pickford, in the U.P. He was very proud of his hometown and the U.P. He married Lucienne “Lucky” Gervais on Dec. 8, 1950, in Rudyard. She passed away on Nov. 20, 2015, after almost 65 years of marriage.
He is survived by their four sons, Harold of Hendersonville, NC, William Raoul and Ronald (Lorraine) of Midland, Daniel (Jennifer) of Wayne, PA, six grandchildren, Andrew, Justin (Alayna), Nate (Erin), Kaitlyn (Brent), William (Laura), and Charlie; great-grandchildren, Reed, Luke, and Gwen, and many nieces and nephews. He’s also survived by Marlene Porter; they shared a blessed union for the past five and a half years.
He was predeceased by Lucky, their grandson, Joshua, his parents, his sisters and their spouses, Betty Jean (Ivan) and Greta (Dewey).
Bob was a graduate of Pickford High School. He attended Soo Tech, now called Lake Superior State, NMU, and graduated from Michigan State. He also graduated from the U of M’s banking school. Bob served in the United States Army.
Bob had three careers. He was the president and chief executive officer of Chemical Bank Michigan in Clare from 1980 through 1994. He joined Chemical Bank Michigan in 1974 as manager of the Coleman office. Prior to that, he had been a self-employed milk distributor for 14 years in mid-Michigan. Before entering the milk business, Bob was an educator, first as a teacher at the age of 19 in a one-room schoolhouse in Stalwart. He then taught in Trout Lake, Coleman, and was the principal of Coleman Intermediate.
Bob was involved in the community. He served as chairman of the board of the Mid-Michigan Regional Medical Center-Clare, president of the Pardee Cancer Treatment Fund of Clare County, president and founder of the United Way of Clare County, board member of the CMU Development Fund, the Mount Pleasant Industrial Development Corp., MidMichigan Community College, and the Clare Kiwanis Club. He was one of the three “Wise Men” who led the effort to raise money to help build a new library in Clare along with A.J. Doherty and Rich Smith.
In retirement, winters were spent in Tucson, Arizona. In addition to his grandkids, Bob had many passions. First, the Detroit Red Wings. He’d tell the story of driving all day from the U.P. to Detroit with his parents to attend game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals in 1950. The Wings won on an overtime goal by the only American born player in the NHL at that time, Pete Babando. Bob enjoyed golf, scoring two hole-in-ones. At the age of 90, he and his partner, Ernie Slater, won their golf league. He loved tennis, playing for 30 years, starting in his early 50’s, in the Clare Area Tennis League, and at the Midland Community Tennis Center. Bob attended performances of the Metropolitan Opera simulcast in theaters. We will miss playing cribbage with him.
Visitation will be held Monday, July 11, from 10:00-11:30am at the Doherty Hotel in Clare. A memorial service will follow at 11:30am. In lieu of flowers, contributions are encouraged to the Pere Marquette District Library or the Clare County Community Foundation. Arrangements were handled by the Clare Chapel of Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home. On-line condolences may be left at www.stephenson-wyman.com