Doyle T. Beamgard

DOYLE T. BEAMGARD 

Doyle Thaine Beamgard, 91, was born October 13, 1925, the only child of George and Myrtle Brown Beamgard, in Atwood, Kansas.  He died March 30, 2017, at Hays Medical Center.His childhood was spent on a farm southwest of Atwood, where he attended eight years of school at Harmony District #10.  Doyle moved to Atwood in 1939 with his parents.  He attended and graduated from Atwood High School in 1943.

After graduation, Doyle was inducted into the United States Army.  He served in the South Pacific Theatre with the 43rd Infantry Division, WWII, for which he was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two Bronze Battle Stars.  He participated in the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf in the Philippine Islands, for which he received the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge and the Philippine Liberation Medal from the Philippine Government.  When the war was over, Doyle was one of the first two hundred Americans on Japanese soil in Yokohama Bay, as the surrender was signed on the Battleship Missouri.  He was then transferred to Eight Army Headquarters.  He became a member of the Army of Occupation and was awarded the Army of Occupation Medal. He returned to the United States in May 1946, and was discharged with the rank of Technical Staff Sgt.

Doyle and Loraine Ewan were married June 9, 1946, at the First Christian Church in Atwood, Kansas.  To this union were born two daughters, Marcia Jan and Judy Rena. Doyle and Loraine celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary in June, 2016. 

Doyle was hired in 1946 as Director of the Rawlins County Agricultural and Conservation Office.  He remained in that position until 1953.  During these years, Doyle was instrumental in arranging the first annual Rawlins County Soil Conservation meeting.  He acquired 40 years of perfect attendance at the annual meetings.

In 1953, Doyle joined the Keirns and Yager families at the State Bank of Atwood. They became a part of Doyle and Loraine’s extended family.  The State Bank of Atwood was sold to the Starr family in 1977.  Doyle remained with the bank, retiring in 1987, as President and Chairman of the Board.

During his banking years, Doyle served on the Atwood City Council, which included two terms as Mayor of the City of Atwood.  He also served as board member and Chairman of the Board of the Rawlins County Hospital in Atwood.  During this time, he also served 22 years on the Board of the High Plains Mental Health Center in Hays, Kansas, two of which he was Chairman of the Board.  Doyle was appointed to the Kansas State Judicial Council, Probate Law Division, by Governor Mike Hayden, then Speaker of the House.  He attended monthly meetings in Topeka for 12 years.  Doyle was a member of the Atwood Lions Club, and served two years as President.  He was a 71-year member of the American Legion Post #46 of Atwood, for which he served as financial officer for several years.  He was a 70-year member of Atwood Masonic Lodge #164.

He was also a Life Member of Radiant Chapter #229, of the Order of Eastern Star, of which he served as Worthy Patron.  He was also Guardian of the Order of Job’s Daughters, Atwood.  Doyle is a Life Member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #9076 Hays, Kansas.

Doyle was a co-founder and original board member of the Atwood Second Century Fund, and served on the Board of Directors until his retirement.  He also served as Trustee for the Francis and Lucille Obert Trust since its inception in 1987.

Doyle was a former member of the First Christian Church of Atwood, Kansas, where he served as Deacon, Treasurer and Board Chairman.  After moving to Hays, Doyle and Loraine joined the First Presbyterian Church of Hays, where he was ordained as Elder and served as Elder.  He also served on the Session and as a member of the Personnel Committee.  At present, he was serving as Assistant Treasurer of the church.  He particularly enjoyed his relationships with the youth of the church.

Doyle went to South McDonald’s in Hays each afternoon for coffee and developed many close relationships with the young people employed there.  He often said, “they spoil me rotten, and I love it”.

A highlight in Doyle’s life was on a WWII Veterans Honor Flight to Washington D.C with his grandson, Mitchell.  Upon arrival, he was notified that he had been chosen to place the wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery during a regular ceremony.  Due to diligent work by Ron and Dana Keller, Doyle was presented the Quilt of Valor in recognition of his military service.  The ceremony was at the Presbyterian Church, Hays, Kansas, November of 2016.

Doyle was a great husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.  He leaves to mourn his passing his loving wife of  70 plus years, two daughters, Marcia Jan and her husband, Richard Dinkel of Hays, Kansas; Judy Rena and her husband, Larry Pitts of Blue Springs, Missouri; three grandchildren, Jill Luedke and Blake Bradford and their twins, Cyrus and Star of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Mitchell Mellick and his wife, Jennifer and their daughters, Emily, Isabel, Audrey and Olivia; Jim Dinkel and his wife, Cristi and their children Brandon and Paige; all of Lenexa, Kansas; special friends, Floyd and Marcia Henry of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Brandon, Katie and Lennon Mai of Hays; several cousins and their families; and a host of friends.

A celebration of Doyle’s life will be at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 8th at the First Presbyterian Church, 2900 Hall Street, Hays, with military honors by the Hays Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 9076 Honor Guard.  The family will receive friends from 9:30 a.m. until time of service on Saturday at the church.  Private family inurnment will be at Fairview Cemetery, Atwood, Kansas.

Memorials are suggested in Doyle’s memory to the First Presbyterian Church, Hays, or Atwood Second Century Fund, Atwood, Kansas in care of the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine Street, Hays, Kansas 67601.  Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com