Lois Powers Beeson, 98, Orange

 

Last updated 10/17/2017 at Noon

Longtime resident of Orange, Lois Powers Beeson passed away on October 15, 2017.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, October 19, 2017, at First United Methodist Church in Orange. Officiating will be Reverend John Warren. Burial will follow the service at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange.

Visitation will be prior to the service beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Born Lois Elaine Powers on February 12, 1919, the daughter of Carrie E. Boze and Leon Mark Powers of Elba and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she was an only child and only paternal grandchild. For that reason, hers was an extended family with many maternal cousins, aunts and uncles as well as her paternal aunts and uncles all of whom were very dear to her, often visited and sometime came to live with her.

Lois Powers received her Bachelor of Science degree in English from Louisiana State University where she met her husband, the late Cecil Randolph Beeson who preceded her in death on April 8, 1992. They were married September 2, 1942 at the home of her parents in Baton Rouge. Mr. Beeson was the son of Mittie Bedgood and John J. Beeson of Pitkin, Louisiana. Mr. and Mrs. Beeson lived in Baton Rouge and Lake Charles, Louisiana before moving to Orange in 1944. Church, education, and Lamar University were of particular importance in the lives of Lois and her late husband.

A lifetime educator, Mrs. Beeson would recall the challenge of her first year teaching English to French children at Church Point Louisiana as “a delightful and most wonderfully enjoyable experience filled with incredibly unforgettable people”. She loved teaching and taught Sunday school, vacation Bible school and served as a summer church camp counselor.

Lois P. Beeson received her Master’s degree in Education from Lamar University. She taught English and Reading in Orange county public school districts until her retirement. Her lively wit, wonderful sense of humor, keen intellect, power determination, independent nature and sheer will power to overcome any adversity led to her many successes and triumphs and will never be forgotten by those who knew her.

Mrs. Beeson was a life time member of the First United Methodist Church.

After her retirement from teaching she became an avid genealogist and continuous student of history.

She was a member of and served in various offices of many civic, church, historical, genealogical societies, and educational associations.

She was very proud to have a served as Louisiana State President of Rainbow Girls at age 17.

She was a member of the Orange County of Eastern Star, Daughters of the American Revolution, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Society of Boonesborough Kentucky, Society of Colonial Louisiana, Las Sabinas and Orange Historical Society, Acadian Historical Society, and Orange County Texas Retired Teachers Association.

Mrs. Beeson traveled extensively after her retirement particularly enjoying visits with cherished relatives in Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolina’s Virginia.

For many years she was co-editor of the Starns/Starnes Triennial Association Newsletter and helped to secure historical family markers throughout the United States in recognition of these early pioneers and settlers.

Mrs. Beeson understood and embraced her colorful heritage.

She delighted in documenting the roles family members played in historical events and sought to preserve this information through the family histories she wrote and shared with others.

She had much recognition for her financial support and continuous efforts that helped keep family reunions, genealogical groups, clubs and associations functioning.

The association to Lamar University and the Beeson family is one of many years. All of the Beeson children and grandchildren are graduates of Lamar University. Mr. Beeson served on Lamar University’s Board of Regrets for the twenty-two years preceding this retirement as Vice-President of Levingston Shipyard. The Lamar Institute of Technology Building bears Mr. Beeson’s name in recognition of his vision, tireless efforts and major contribution seeking and securing the opportunity for educational degree programs tailored to training in highly skilled fields involving craftsmanship, trade arts and technology.

Mrs. Beeson and her late husband will always be held in high esteem and remembered for their warmth and friendship among the many people whose lives were touched by their generosity, kindness, love, and support. Lois and Cecil’s family know how very fortunate and privileged we are to have shared our lives with these extraordinary people. We will continue to celebrate, acknowledge, live by and hopefully pass on to succeeding generations that same spirit of love and devotion they embraced. We feel blessed by their lives, grateful to them and know their love to be our most cherished legacy.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Leon and Carrie Powers; and her loving husband, Cecil Randolph Beeson.

Lois is survived by her children, Shirley Manning, of Friendswood, TX, Randolph Beeson and wife Susan, of Midland, MI, and John-Cecil Powers Beeson and wife Lila, of Orange, TX; grandchildren, Dr. Randolph Manning, Julie Pelt, Christie Kitzman, Paris Crockett, Amanda Tetuyev, and John-Cecil Powers Beeson, Jr .; 10 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great- grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Cecil R. Beeson Scholarship/Grant Program at Lamar Institute of Technology, 855 East Lavaca, Beaumont, TX 77702 or to Texas Methodist Home for Children, 1111 Herring Ave. Waco, TX 76708.

 

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