Berkeley Gene Beaty's Obituary
Life according to Gene…….
In the wee hours of Friday morning January 6, 2017, Berkeley Gene Beaty left Fredericksburg after 63 short years and entered into Eternal Life in Heaven. His life of acceptance and appreciation is carried on by his wife, six children, 17 grandchildren, two sisters, four brothers and one aunt.
Being the youngest of nine children, Gene grew up fast and tough between Front Royal and Woodbridge, VA. There wasn’t any time to be bounced on someone’s knee and bottle fed. Gene started working in the tobacco fields when he was ten months old, the day after he learned to walk. Killed his 1st deer when he was two and his 1st bear when he was five. When asked what took him so long to get his 1st bear he replied “wasn’t allowed out past 6 p.m. till then.” Through his love of God and Country, he joined the U.S. ARMY and served faithfully until 1984. Stationed in Germany, Texas, Virginia, and lastly in Hawaii, he had an appreciation for good beer, air conditioning, snow shovels and a year round tan.
Being from the old school, he knew everyone deserved a whooping at least once in life. 8 to 80, blind crippled or crazy, everyone should experience a whooping. How else could they appreciate not getting a whooping? Ruffians, back talking know-it-all teenage boys, and a horse that bit and kicked him one time were not excluded from this list.
Gene had a heart bigger than all the great outdoors, which is where he enjoyed spending time with his brothers every fall on their annual hunting expedition. Truly one of his favorite times of the year. The only thing he loved more than those trips was helping people. By people, I mean anyone and everyone. Gene was more reliable than AAA. He changed more tires on the side of the highway for people he didn’t know than a NASCAR Pit Crew does all year. Wouldn’t take a dime for doing it. Bought a good pair of jumper cables and lightweight floor jack just in case folks needed a jump or didn’t have a jack of their own. He single handedly put out a house fire with a garden hose in 1971 and a forest fire with a shovel and a 24 pack of Pepsi on the side of Rt. 1 in 1986. A Boy Scout Scoutmaster from 1982-1984, he led his troop to victory at the National Jamboree in 1983 and 1984.
Gene would later go on to work for the Washington, D.C. Prison System. It was in this position that he was able to positively alter the paths of at-risk teens by sponsoring a “Scared Straight Program.” There was no other program at the time as in-your-face as the program at Lorton Prison in the early 90’s. He was still in touch with several of the graduates from his program up until the day he left this life.
Over the last few years, his relationship with the Lord was strengthened thru the fellowship of Salem Fields Community Church. The Gene of old, who could and would lay hands on anyone who had it coming, would now close his eyes and hands, open his heart and pray for them. Even if they really had a whooping coming to them. He visited the elderly in the nursing homes. He carried the groceries in for the neighbor and then carried the neighbor in when she wasn’t able to climb the stairs herself.
He helped to raise two of his grandchildren like they were his own kids, but even better. If a fence needed mending or a roof re-shingled, a vehicle transported in the middle of the night, if someone needed help moving across the street or across stateliness, Gene was the guy you called. He might not have known how to do everything but he’d show up for anything, anyone and anytime. He praised God every chance he got and quite a few times when he didn’t have the time. Gene felt that if God could love and forgive him despite some of the decisions he made in his life then God could love and forgive anyone.
Survived by his wife of 34 years, Diane Beaty; biological daughter, Jennifer Patterson; sons, Chris and Mike Shanks; daughters, Tammy Anderson, Christina Beaty, and Dana Brown; sisters, Mary Ellen Cameron (husband, Lynn), and Edythe Clements (husband, Eddie); brothers, Wesley Beaty, Earl Beaty, Donnie Beaty (wife, Linda), and twin brother, Dean Beaty (wife, Dorothy); brother-in-law, Floyd Merrbach; and his dear aunt, Nanny Poe. Gene had an almost countless number of nieces, nephews, in-laws, cousins, friends, co-workers and just people in general that he came in contact with that he often prayed for and helped out whenever he was needed.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy and Lyle Beaty; infant daughter, Virginia Beaty; brother, Ken Beaty; and sister, Merle Merrbach.
Gene’s family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 12, 2017 at Found and Sons Funeral Chapel, 10719 Courthouse Road, Fredericksburg. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 13, 2017 at Salem Fields Community Church, 11120 Gordon Road, Fredericksburg. Interment will follow in Quantico National Cemetery, Triangle, VA.
In lieu of flowers, Gene’s family requests that you send donations to Salem Fields Community Church, in Care of the Smithfield Rebuild Project, 11120 Gordon Rd., Fredericksburg, VA 22407.
Online condolences may be expressed at foundandsons.com.
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