Harold Beile
Godfrey |
85-year-old Harold Matthew “Hal” Beile died peacefully at 5:15pm on Thursday, June 14th, 2012 at Rosewood Care Center in Alton.
A Memorial Service will be held at St Paul’s Episcopal Church Saturday, June 30th with Father David Boase officiating. St Paul’s is located 10 East Third Street. The family will receive friends beginning at 9 am until the time of the service at 11 am.
Hal Beile was born at home on January 5th, 1927 to the late Rudolph Beile and Ethel (Manschreck) Beile in Park Ridge, IL. Hal enlisted in the Navy upon graduating from Maine Township High School/ Park Ridge and was just out of Basic when WWII ended. Military service provided Hal the inspiration and the means to earn a college degree, the first in his family to do so. He believed that “the GI Bill was the greatest opportunity” he ever encountered. In 1950, Hal graduated cum laude with a BA in Business Administration and Banking from The Colorado College. He then gained employment with accounting firm Haskins and Sells and subsequently secured his Public Accounting Certification.
It was in the fall of his senior year at Colorado College that Hal met Miss Betty Eleanor Lamb of Davenport, Iowa. Betty studiously ignored her mother’s prohibition on getting pinned as a freshman and in October of 1951, Hal and Betty began their first of more than 60 years of marriage. Married life started in Denver, Colorado and it was in Denver that Bill, the first of 5 sons, was born. David soon followed. Then Steve. Then Richard. Then Robert.
In 1966, Hal accepted a job as controller with Alton Box Board Co. and moved the family to Godfrey. It’s worth noting that upon arriving in Alton for a house-hunting visit, Hal did not take Betty house-hunting or to a restaurant or even to the Stratford to freshen up. Instead, he drove her straight to Lockhaven Country Club, where they played golf- Betty in her stocking feet, equipped with only a 5 iron. Actually, Hal’s excitement about Lockhaven and Betty’s enthusiastic support probably surprise… no one. Hal was later promoted to the role of Executive Vice-President and COO of Alton Box Board and stayed with the organization beyond its 1981 sale to Jefferson Smurfit Group. After leaving Smurfit, Hal began a professional management business and struck a friendship with Dr. Chet Hill, who was interested in forming a private medical practice. Hal signed on as Business Manager with what is now Alton MultiSpecialists, where he spent the remainder of his professional career.
Outside of work, Hal had a passion for the game of golf. After retiring in 1999, he typically played 200 plus rounds per year and often shot his age- even into his early Eighties. He was a champion of Scouting and served as President of the Boy Scouts of America Piasa Bird Council. Hal was a Lay Reader for Trinity Chapel. Always careful to set Faith ahead of his other passions, his contribution was most often to the sunrise service so as not to allow encroachment by his standing Sunday tee-time. Coincidently, Hal enjoyed 5 holes-in-one over the course of his golfing career, acing each of Lockhaven’s par-3’s.
Hal was preceded in death by his parents, Rudolph and Ethel and by his brother, George. While he will be missed greatly, his life is celebrated by his wife Betty and sons Bill, married to Alma; David, married to Virginia; Steve, married to Roberta; Richard, married to Donia; and Robert. Also celebrating his life are 4 grandsons Matt, Andrew, Phil and David; 3 granddaughters Lindsay, Annie and Kaylin- no girls had been born to Hal’s paternal line during the prior 130 years; nephew, Chuck Lamb; niece, Carolyn Doud and their families.
The Beile family would like to express particular gratitude to The Fountains IV, Rosewood Care Center and St Anthony’s Hospice Services for their professionalism and the many kindnesses shown by these caregivers.
In Lieu of Flowers, Betty hopes you will consider a donation to the Alton Food Crisis Center, Alton Salvation Army or to the charity of your choice.
Elias Kallal and Schaaf Funeral Home in Godfrey is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences and guest book may be found www.eliaskallalandschaaf.com
Elias, Kallal & Schaaf Funeral Home
