James Martin Beeland's Obituary
Life Legacy
PERRY-James Martin Beeland, 81, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 27, 2016. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, December 30, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. at Perry United Methodist Church. Interment will be in Perry Memorial Gardens. The family will visit with friends on Thursday, December 29, 2016, from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at Watson-Hunt Funeral Home. Flowers will be gratefully accepted or the family respectfully suggests memorial contributions to Perry United Methodist Church Building Fund, 1002 Carroll Street, Perry, GA 31069, or Heart of Georgia Hospice, 1120 Morningside Drive, Perry, GA 31069, or Westfield School, PO Box 2300, Perry, GA 31069.Mr. Beeland began his life on June 19, 1935, in Montezuma and grew up in Perry. He attended Perry High School and was a member of the 1953 State Class B Championship basketball team. He was also a member of the baseball and track teams. He proudly served our country in the U.S. Navy from 1955 to 1959. He served as an aircrewman and made 77,777 arrested landings aboard the aircraft carrier USS Boxer(CVS-21). Mr. Beeland retired from Robins Air Force Base in January 1995 with 36 years of service, 31 of which were in Base Contracting. He was awarded the "AFLC Outstanding Base Contracting Civilian Award" in 1983. Through the years, he was a big supporter of his son's activities and was very active in the community. He umpired Perry Junior League baseball as a volunteer for more than 15 years. He began operating the basketball scoreboard for Westfield School in 1981, but when his grandson began playing ball, he finally moved to the bleachers to watch the games in 2010. Mr. Beeland served on the City of Perry Planning Commission from January 1980 to December 2016, and he was Chairman from 1991 to 2016. He enjoyed many years serving as a Faircracker for the Georgia National Fair. He was active with schools' field trips by parking school buses and welcoming children to the fair. He was a member of Perry United Methodist Church and the IHS Sunday School Class, where he was also a past president. Martin and his wife, Jackie, were active in the Sanctuary Choir and the Joy Choir, and were custodians of the 700+ anthem music library. Mr. Beeland was preceded in death by his parents, James Hammock Beeland and Annie Loraine Borders Beeland. Left to cherish the memories of Martin are his loving and devoted wife of 59 years, Jackie Newberry Beeland of Perry; his son and daughter-in-law, Jimmy and Glynelle Beeland of Perry; his grandson, James Beeland; and his brother, Robbie Beeland (Jan). Condolences for the family may be left in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com. Watson-Hunt Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.
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