Eugene 'Ed' Beebe

Eugene "Ed" Beebe, 75, died April 22, 2007 in his home following a brief illness. He was born Aug. 15, 1931, in Rochester, Penn., to Martin C. Sr. and Mary Therese Beebe, the second of five sons. His family moved to Port Huron in 1941 where he attended Port Huron Area Schools. A 1949 graduate of Port Huron High School, Ed and his teammates had the unique pleasure of being on the first Port Huron High School football team to play in Memorial Stadium when it opened in 1948. Upon graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army Reserves and served from 1953 to 1957. At the same time, he began what would become a lifelong career as a commercial carpenter as a laborer with Collins and Catlin Construction Co. In 1954, he became an apprentice and joined Detroit Carpenters Local 1067. He proudly remained a union member until his death. In his 22 years at Collins and Catlin, Ed worked his way from foreman to site superintendent and would oversee the construction of such buildings as the Clara E. MacKenzie Library-Science Building at SC4, the first major addition for Port Huron Hospital, the Grandview Towers senior citizen high rise, the Municipal Office Center, the Times Herald building. He would go on to work for several construction firms including those that built the Evangelical Home and the Greenwood and Belle River energy plants. He retired in 1990. He was a lifelong member of the Port Huron Yacht Club where he served as commodore in 1958 and was a member of the Board of Directors for 45 years. During his retirement, he supervised the construction of the new yacht club, an effort conducted by a dedicated army of yacht club volunteers and perhaps the job of which he was most proud. He was a gifted sailor, who bought the first love of his life, Irene, a wood-hulled 6 meter, in 1953. Aboard Irene, "Uncle Ed," as he was known to all who loved him, shared his passion for sailing as well as his expertise with many young men, most of whom now compete among the sailing ranks at the Port Huron Yacht Club. He sailed his first Port Huron-to-Mackinac race in 1955, one of 29 he would sail and proudly earned the honor of being an "Old Goat." Second only to his love of sailing was his love of hockey. He was a PeeWee coach for the Port Huron Minor Hockey Association house league for 22 years. He married the true love of his life, Mary Kay Bennett, Sept. 12, 1959, in St. Mary Catholic Church in Port Huron. Together they raised six children. Ed is survived by his wife of 47 years, Mary Kay of Fort Gratiot; daughters Ann of Port Huron; Mary (John) Campbell of Sarnia; and Elizabeth Jones of Camby, Ind.; sons John (Tammy) of Fort Gratiot; Stephen of West Hollywood, Calif.; and Michael (Synthia) of Port Huron. He also is survived by his brother, George (Jan) of Port Huron; sisters-in-law Jacqueline Beebe of Fort Gratiot; Mona Beebe of Alger; Maggie (Roger) Bennett of Port Huron and Martha Bennett of Fort Gratiot; and brothers-in-law Jim (Joyce) Bennett of Utica; Patrick (Nancy) Bennett of Rochester Hills; and James Bowling of Dayton, Ohio, as well as 18 grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and his extended family at the Port Huron Yacht Club. He was preceded in death by his parents Martin C. Sr. and Mary; brothers Martin C. Jr., Carl and John; his mother and father-in-law Edward and Dorothy Bennett and sister-in-law Joan Bowling. Cremation and a private family service have taken place. His family and friends will gather for a celebration of his life from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Port Huron Yacht Club, and they request that those who plan to attend dress in comfortable, "Uncle Ed" style. Memorial donations may be made to the Port Huron Yacht Club Memorial Fund, the Ed Beebe Memorial Hockey Scholarship at the Port Huron Minor Hockey Association or the American Cancer Society.