BEAL, JAMES WILLIAM, REV (OVERVIEW) - Faulkner County, Arkansas | JAMES WILLIAM, REV (OVERVIEW) BEAL - Arkansas Gravestone Photos

James William, Rev (Overview) BEAL

Oak Grove (Historic), Conway Cemetery
Faulkner County,
Arkansas

Sept 16, 1922 - Mar 4, 2005

The Rev. James William "Jim" Beal, a retired United Methodist pastor whose friends described as a selfless man of strong convictions and faith, died Friday (March 4, 2005). He was 76.

Rev. Charles McDonald, who was Beal's friend and a colleague for 50 years, said "Jim felt he was called by God to help people."

McDonald said: "He felt God was leading him to make the world a better place. If he saw anybody hurt he wanted to help, whether it was abused women or neglected children."

Beal was a former pastor of two Conway churches, most recently First United Methodist (1979-85) and Wesley United Methodist (1958-60). Since his retirement in 1995, he had been director of Arkansas course of study school for ministers, based at his alma mater, Hendrix College.

A longtime leader in Arkansas Methodism, he was superintendent of the Forrest City District (1978-79), Batesville District (1985-91) and was director of the North Arkansas Conference Council on Ministries from 1991 to 1995. He previously had been associate director of the Conference's board of education.

Interested in youth and outdoor Christian education, Beal was a principal founder of Mount Eagle Christian Center, a 1,000-acre conference facility near Clinton. The center's board of directors recently announced a new building would be named in honor of the Beal family.

One of the current directors of Mount Eagle, G.A. "Bud" Hines, said he had such an admiration for the level of commitment Beal had in every aspect of his life.

"He's one of the most talented men I have ever met," Hines said. "He did a little bit of everything for the community."

Beal was born Sept. 16, 1928, in Rector, the son of Claud and Olive Pruett Beal. He would go on to graduate from Hendrix College in 1952 and Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 1955.

Hines said Beal and his wife Mauzel were two of the most giving people he had ever known.

"They want minimal for themselves and take as much of that as they can and give to the community," Hines said. "You've never seen anybody more outreaching, using their own personal resources."

He was active in numerous Conway area civic groups.

Beal was founder and president of Conway Inter-church Housing and instrumental in the creation of Autumn Manor housing facility. He was a member of the block grants committee of the city of Conway; a member of the board of Community Foundation of Faulkner County; chairman of the Faulkner County advisory board of Arkansas Hospice; president of Conway Kiwanis Club and was named a George F. Hixson fellow of Kiwanis International Foundation; president of the Civitan Club and lieutenant governor of Civitan International's Missouri-Arkansas District.

Throughout his years as a pastor in Arkansas, he demonstrated a similar pattern of community service.

Beal was pastor of churches across the state including Newport, West Memphis, Helena, Batesville, Imboden Charge, Marmaduke, Oppelo and Wilburn.

In the summer of 1982, he was an exchange pastor in London and was widely considered an authority on Methodist history and the life of John Wesley.

Beal served in numerous leadership positions in Arkansas United Methodism. He was a former chairman of the United Methodist Foundation of Arkansas; co-founder and later chairman of the United Methodist Historical Society of Arkansas, Inc., and chairman of the Arkansas United Methodist Museum.

He was elected to two terms as a member of Hendrix College Board of Trustees and was a recipient of the Hendrix Steel Center's Ira and Mary Brumley Award for Excellence in Education.

Beal enjoyed spending time with family and friends, canoeing, camping, woodworking, playing guitar and singing folk music. He sang in the Conway Men's Chorus and for about 30 years he traveled around the state as part of a men's quartet, The Concords.

He is survived by his wife, Mauzel; a daughter, Laura and husband Steve Middlekauff, of Conway; Joy Beal Meriwether of Conway, spouse of the late Roger Beal; four grandchildren, Wesley Beal, Zachary Beal, Megan and Molly Middlekauff; and a brother, Gene and wife Martha Beal of Conway.

The body will be cremated and a private family interment service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday (March 7, 2005) at Oak Grove Cemetery in Conway.

A public service of celebration will follow at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 1610 Prince Street in Conway. Bishop Charles Crutchfield, Rev. Charles Murray and Rev. Aubrietta Jones will officiate.

Memorials may be made to Mount Eagle Christian Center, 935 Beal Road, Clinton, Ark. 72031 or Hendrix College, 1600 Washington Ave., Conway, Ark. 72032.

Arrangements are by Central Arkansas Funeral Services of Conway.

Contributed on 7/22/16 by hawkinsdonna
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Record #: 1149662

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Additional BEAL Surnames in OAK GROVE (HISTORIC), CONWAY Cemetery

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Submitted: 7/22/16 • Approved: 2/5/20 • Last Updated: 2/8/20 • R1149662-G0-S3

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