Robert Eugene Beals

Robert Eugene Beals, age 86, resident of Shelbyville Michigan peacefully passed away of heart failure in his home on August 14, 2023. Born November 10, 1936, to Thelma (Rash) and Ernie Beals. Bob, as he is known by family and friends, grew up near Muskegon Michigan and was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers, Steve (Peggy), Clarence (JoAnne), Lester (Carol), Mike and Joey, one sister, Cindy (Jeff) Jones and his daughter-in-law Becky Beals. He is survived by his wife Donna (Jordan) Beals, three brothers, Ernie (Kim), Tim, and David (Vickie), four sisters, Susie (Allen) Dexter, Ellie (Mike) Udell, Marylou (Dave) Miel, and Tammy (Tim) Udel, five children, Daniel (Bonnie), Sandra (Larry) Wallace, Robert, Suzanne, and Sharice (Mike), nine grandchildren, Daniel II (Ashley), Jennifer (Rusty) Craft, Stacey (P.J.) Rotundo, Denise, Wayne Beals, Robert (Christine), Isabella, Samsun Burns and Luke Burns, and six great grandchildren, Noah, Elijah, Olivia Clark, Garret Clark, Saya Craft and Lara Craft.

Family and Friends will assemble for a graveside service beginning promptly at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at Hillside Cemetery, on the corner of M-89 and 8^th Street in Plainwell, Michigan.

Story of our Father

Bob grew up near Lake Michigan in Muskegon and as a young man joined the United States Air Force during which time he met his wife, Donna, in Orlando Florida. They married in December of 1958 and have celebrated 65 years of ups, downs, good times, and not so good times but always full of love and more laughter than tears.

Donna taught Bob the love of theater and they saw many performances together. Bob enjoyed traveling around the continental U.S. as well as to Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean.  He loved cruising the open water in large ships and was a member of Princess Cruise Line’s Captain’s Table.

Bob was tough, competitive, heroic at times, helpful, stubborn, and loving. He taught his children and others to love the outdoors with camping, hunting, fishing (along all the great fishing holes), survival techniques, swimming, and playing games of all sorts from cards and dice to croquet, kickball, softball, and football. 

Bob was always teaching his children, whether it be his unique “hillbilly” engineering -  “You don’t need a new exhaust, all you need is a soup can!” - to his family recipes “First, you put in a stick of oleo.”  - to new hair styles “Ah, that tail looks good enough, it’s just a little to the side.” to planting, harvesting, and preserving food.

Besides being a husband and father, he was a disabled veteran of the United States Air Force, an Iowa farmer, a tool and die worker, member of the American Legion, and hero. Although disabled he was a Veteran first who defended others against bullies, ran in front of an oncoming semi to stop it from running into others, and crawled under a burning tanker truck to extinguish its fire. He had hobbies other than outdoors, travel and games, he also loved painting, bird watching, model building and most of all spending time with his family.

While at www.amsfuneralhomes.com please take time to sign Robert’s guestbook and/or share a memory with his family.

The Beals family is being cared for by the Avink, McCowen & Secord Funeral Homes and Cremation Society, 120 South Woodhams Street, Plainwell, MI 49080. 269-685-5881.