Enterprise, Oregon
Ronald Oscar Beach, 52, of Clarkston, Wash., died Jan. 5, 2004, in Clarkston. He was born March 9, 1951 in Enterprise to Joe O. and Lillian K. (Snyder) Beach.
He grew up in the Paradise area where he attended school through the fifth grade. While finishing his schooling in Enterprise from where he graduated in 1969, he was active in 4-H, FFA, football, wrestling, various clubs, and the marching band for which he played trumpet under the direction of Bob Clegg. He enjoyed hunting with family and friends, fishing, river rafting, and camp outs.
His working career included helping out on the family ranch in Paradise with everything, surveying for Wallowa Whitman National Forest, and working at the Boise Cascade sawmill in Joseph, where he was millwright for many years. He retired after a knee injury and later faced severe chronic multiple sclerosis.
Survivors include his sons Edward J. Beach of La Grande and Robert J. Beach of the U. S. Navy; a daughter, April D. (Beach) Williams of La Grande; a grandson, Hunter Williams of La Grande; brothers Gary Beach of Sandpoint, Idaho, and Thomas Beach of Paradise; and sisters Donna Dunning of Paradise and Susan Radford of Enterprise. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Lillian Beach; and grandparents Dale and Cordelia (Bodmer) Beach and Jeff and Ruby (Graham) Snyder.
At his request, there were no services, with Paradise being his final resting place. Memorial contributions may be made to the Joe and Lillian Beach 4-H Memorial Fund, care of the 4-H Leaders Association, 668 N. W. First St., Enterprise, OR 97828.
Wallowa County Chieftain, Thursday, January 22, 2004