The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., September 10, 1964, page 3
VERNON E. BEEKS
Vernon Elwood Beeks was born December 23, 1914, at
Goldendale. He died September 1, 1964 at the age of 49 years and eight months.
He spent his early boyhood in Klickitat County and Oregon.
He attended Bible college in Eugene, Ore., and the San Jose Bible college,
San Jose, Calif. He was ordained a minister in 1940.
In 1942 he was united in marriage with Roberta Hendricks.
To this union were born four daughters: Colleen, Beth, Bonnie and Jerrie.
Vernon organized the First Church of Christ in Gresham
beside ministering to churches in Seattle, Stayton, Centerville and others.
Surviving him in addition to the widow and daughters
are his mother, Mrs. Vera Beeks: four brothers: Phillip, James, Norval and
Malcolm; three sisters, Vera Cotton, Lucille Short and Sharon Hayden; two
grandchildren, Renee and Vernon Heide, besides several nieces and nephews.
His father and a sister preceded him in death.
The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., September 3, 1964, page 10
VERNON EDWARD BEEKS
Vernon Edward Beeks was born December 23rd, 1914, at
Goldendale, Washington, the son of Phillip and Vera Beeks. He had lived in
Klickitat County all his life.
He died in the Gifford National Forest west of Mt. Adams
on September 1st while falling trees for the right-of-way on the road extension
of N64 at a point about 24 miles North Northwest of Trout Lake. This is at
a point about 2 miles from the Lewis river.
Surviving are his wife, Roberta of Portland; four daughters:
Mrs. Verna Coleen Heide of Trout Lake, Washington; Bethany Beeks of Trout
Lake, Bonnie Beeks of Trout Lake and Jerrie Beeks of Trout Lake. Four brothers:
Phillip Beeks of Trout Lake, James Beeks of Wishram, Wash., Calvin Beeks
of Glenwood, and Malcom Beeks of Lyle, Wash. Three sisters: Lucille Short
of Maryhill, Wash., Vera Cotton of The Dalles and Sharon Hayden of Trout
Lake. Also two grandchildren.
Funeral services will probably at 1 o'clock Friday or
Saturday at Gardner's Funeral Chapel in White Salmon with Rev. Verl Thomas
of Zillah officiating. Interment will be in the Pleasant Valley Cemetery
near Goldendale, Washington.
The Oregonian, Portland, OR., September 4, 1964, page 29
VERNON E. BEEKS
Funeral for Vernon Edward Beeks, 49, pf 19 NW 6 Ave.,
who died at Trout Lake, Wash., Tuesday, will be Saturday in White Salmon,
Wash. Burial will be in Pleasant Valley Cemetery at Pleasant Valley, Wash.
Born in Goldendale, Wash., on Dec. 23, 1915, he came
to Portland with his family shortly after he was born. He was a member of
the Central Christian Church, a past minister in Portland and a member of
the Oregon Ministerial Association.
Survivors inlcude the widow, Roberta T. Beeks of Portland;
and four daughters, Verna Coleen Heide of Trout Lake, Wash., Bethany C. Beeks,
Bonnie N. Beeks and Jerrie I. Beeks ,all of Portland.
The Mt. Adams Sun, Bingen, WA., September 3, 1964, page 1
FALLING TREE KILLS LOGGER
Vernon Elwood Beeks, 49, lifelong resident of Klickitat
county, logger and ordained minister, was killed Tuesday morning, Sept. 1
when struck on the head by a falling tree.
The accident happened about 9:15 a.m. at Swampy Meadows
in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, 24 miles northwest of Trout Lake
in Skamania County.
Beeks was employed by Forman Brothers for whom he was
helping clear a right-of-way for extension of Road N. 84.
Skamania County Coroner Robert J. Salveson and a Deputy
Sheriff accompanied Gardner's ambulance from White Salmon to the scene of
the fatality.
Litter bearers struggled for two hours through ankle-deep
mud, over downed trees, under dense fog, sometimes on the hands and knees
to pack Beeks' body 1½ miles to a waiting vehicle.
Gardner's of White Salmon are in charge of pending funeral
arrangements.
Vernon was a brother of Philip Beeks of Trout Lake, James
of Wishram, Calvin of Glenwood and Malcolm of Lyle, Lucille Short of Maryhill,
Vera Cotton of The Dalles and Sharon Hayden of Trout Lake.
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© Jeffrey L. Elmer