Obituary for Keith Beach
Merle Keith Beach, 83, of Olathe, KS passed away Aug. 11, 2020 at Olathe Hospice House, Olathe, KS. Visitation will be held 12:30 p.m. -1:30 p.m. Saturday, August 15, 2020 at Bruce Funeral Home, 712 S. Webster, Spring Hill, KS (913) 592-2244. Private Masonic service at 1:30 p.m. and private family funeral service to follow due to COVID19. Burial at Spring Hill Cemetery, Spring Hill, KS. Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children. Condolences may be left at www.brucefuneralhome.com
Keith was born March 10, 1937 in rural Emmett, KS to Merle Johnson and Frances Marie (Bernard) Beach. He grew up in Emmett, KS and graduated from Havensville High School in 1955. Keith moved to Gardner in 1963, later to Olathe then to Prairie Lake, KS for many years and back to Olathe in 2012. He served in the United States Air Force. Keith worked for Walter Yount Construction and Amino Brothers as a heavy equipment operator. He was the founder of Beach Construction which later merged with United Construction to form United Bridge. Keith later worked for the Kansas Turnpike, retiring at age 75. He married Jean Anne Hugo on January 14, 1994 in Las Vegas, NV. Keith was a member of the Bucks Grove Methodist Church, Holton, KS and Abdullah Shriners-Overland Park, KS. He loved dirt track driving and racing as well as tinkering in his garage. For five years, Keith drove children to Shriners Hospitals in St. Louis, Chicago and Atlanta. Keith was a member of Masonic Lodge 436, Overland Park, KS and a 50 year member of American Legion Post #19. He will be missed by family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents. Keith is survived by his wife, Jean; his four girls: Rhonda and husband Charles Fernandez, Dodge City, KS, Lisa and husband John Reece, Louisburg, KS, Kristi and husband Don Hunt, Olathe, KS and Kelley and husband Randy McCormick, Lee’s Summit, MO; step-children: Art Black IV, Oswego, IL, Joni and husband Scott Redpath , St. Charles, IL and Lori Gall, Olathe, KS; fourteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; sisters Mary Alice and husband Charlie Gibbs, Woodstock, GA and Nina May Clements, North Kansas City, MO and nieces Michele Clements, Parkville, MO and Angie and husband Ken Vanderpool, Smithville, MO.
Keith was born March 10, 1937 in rural Emmett, KS to Merle Johnson and Frances Marie (Bernard) Beach. He grew up in Emmett, KS and graduated from Havensville High School in 1955. Keith moved to Gardner in 1963, later to Olathe then to Prairie Lake, KS for many years and back to Olathe in 2012. He served in the United States Air Force. Keith worked for Walter Yount Construction and Amino Brothers as a heavy equipment operator. He was the founder of Beach Construction which later merged with United Construction to form United Bridge. Keith later worked for the Kansas Turnpike, retiring at age 75. He married Jean Anne Hugo on January 14, 1994 in Las Vegas, NV. Keith was a member of the Bucks Grove Methodist Church, Holton, KS and Abdullah Shriners-Overland Park, KS. He loved dirt track driving and racing as well as tinkering in his garage. For five years, Keith drove children to Shriners Hospitals in St. Louis, Chicago and Atlanta. Keith was a member of Masonic Lodge 436, Overland Park, KS and a 50 year member of American Legion Post #19. He will be missed by family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents. Keith is survived by his wife, Jean; his four girls: Rhonda and husband Charles Fernandez, Dodge City, KS, Lisa and husband John Reece, Louisburg, KS, Kristi and husband Don Hunt, Olathe, KS and Kelley and husband Randy McCormick, Lee’s Summit, MO; step-children: Art Black IV, Oswego, IL, Joni and husband Scott Redpath , St. Charles, IL and Lori Gall, Olathe, KS; fourteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; sisters Mary Alice and husband Charlie Gibbs, Woodstock, GA and Nina May Clements, North Kansas City, MO and nieces Michele Clements, Parkville, MO and Angie and husband Ken Vanderpool, Smithville, MO.