Frank Audrey Beam, Sr.

Frank Audrey Beam, Sr. was born on May 12, 1924 to Willie Chandler and Oda G. (Pirkle) Beam in Roscoe, Texas. Frank moved with his family to Sweetwater, Texas at an early age and attended Sweetwater Schools.

In May 1942 Frank graduated from Newman (Sweetwater) High School and enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps on October 31, 1942. Frank and Lucile (Polly) Dyer were married On April 3, 1943 in Sweetwater. While Frank, Sr. was in the Air Corps he and Polly welcomed their beautiful baby boy, Frank, Jr. into the family, and three months later Frank, Sr. deployed to the Pacific Theater. Frank, Sr. served on Tinian, in the Mariana Islands until November 1945.

At the end of WW II Frank returned home to Sweetwater and was employed by the Sweetwater Reporter and in 1960 he began working for the Abilene Reporter News until his retirement in 1989. Frank was a long-time member of Broadway Baptist Church in Sweetwater. In 2017 Frank moved to Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas to live with his son and daughter-in-law, Frank, Jr. and Sue Beam where he received excellent care.

Frank is preceded in death by his parents, son (Frank A. Beam, Jr.), wife (Lucile (Polly) Beam) of 75 years of marriage, great grandson (Damon Callendar), two sisters, and one brother. He is survived by his Daughter-in-law, Sue Beam; granddaughter, Sherri Weatherford and husband Larry; great great granddaughter, Madison Callendar, great grandson, Zack Logan and wife Kali; great great grandsons, Triston and Owen Logan; sister-in-law, Rena Beam; sister-in-law, Geneva Dyer; many nephews and nieces and friends.

Funeral services will be held in Sweetwater, Texas by McCoy Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Legacy Hospice of Salem, Arkansas. Arrangements are under the direction of Barker Funeral Home in Salem, Arkansas.