John L. Beam, son of General Pershing Beam and Cora Lee Martin Beam was born on May 14, 1957 and died on April 18, 2019. He is preceded in death by his parents and two siblings. Iva Lee Baily and G. P. Beam, Jr.

John lead a very adventurous life. He was an accomplished musician, a carpenter, a Naval veteran, biker, son, brother, uncle, husband, father, and grandfather.

In 1978, John entered the Navy. During his stent in the Navy, he was a firefighter and diesel mechanic. He was sailor on the U.S.S. Tuscaloosa. It was here that he met his life long best friend Bill Hurteau. In 1979, John was honorably discharged from the Navy. He came back to Mason and met the love of his life, Bonnie Jo Parker.

On April 13, 1982, John married Bonnie and they began their beautiful life together. They welcomed two children into their lives, Stormi and Jacob, and started their very successful painting and construction business. They continued their business for over 25 years. John continued to build beautiful furniture and wood work creations after his retirement.

John was also a founding member of the Blue Bonnet Run and the Blue Bonnet Riders MC. Throughout his life, he had many crazy adventures with his club. They raised money for many people in need and he considered these great men to be his brothers as well. "To the world, they were just dirty longhairs, no good hippies, set out to destroy the world, burn down all the places they stopped at. But they knew they were special. They had to do great things, or they couldn't have become Blue Bonnet Runners."

John was an amazing father. He was Dad, Coach, Uncle John, Papa John, Pa, and Old Man. He coached baseball for over 10 years, watching his kids go from t-ballers to playing Pony league. He was able to help so many children and touch so many lives during his time as coach. In fact, a lot of grown men still call him "Coach." It was said by a close friend and one of his "kiddos" that, "John may have only fathered two children, but he was a dad to so many more." Everyone who knew him, "Loved that old man."

He was such a proud father. He instilled independence, unconditional love, compassion, and self confidence in his kids- all of them.

He was such a proud father, always bragging on his kids to anyone he could. He taught his kids how to sing and make music, how to fight, and most importantly, how to love unconditionally. He also showed his children what it meant to be proud of something. He focused on a job done right and that feeling it gives a man deep down.

He was passionate about his community and helped with many benefits over the years. He was known to drop everything at the drop of a hat and host a benefit to help family, friends and even complete strangers in need. He always reminded everyone that to be able to bless someone was the greatest blessing in the world.

He had many infamous sayings, like, "Money doesn't make you rich, love does." and "When you bless someone, God blesses you back seven times over." And they were true. He had a way with words, written and spoken.

He loved the spring time. Easter being his favorite of all holidays, mostly because the wild flowers were out and it was warm enough to ride his scooter again. He always said it was a time of rebirth, new growth, and a time of redemption.

He had a way with words and loved a good story, and he told one or two of his own. He pinned over 300 songs and had a knack for playing just about any instrument he picked up, (except for horned instruments, those were a bad idea.) He sang to his wife, he sang to his kids, he sang to his grandboys. He used his God given talent for his community. He gave of himself to anyone in need.

He loved his grandboys. He loved them more than life itself. He cradled and hugged and kissed boo-boos. He also taught them to get up and shake it off. "No time for crying. You gotta dust it off grandson." He taught them to rock hunt and loved to fish with his boys. He also has instilled a deep love of good old American Muscle cars in his grandboys. They know what good sounding hot rod is supposed to sound like.

He was a self-proclaimed Jack of All Trades. He leaves behind a very long legacy of hard lessons learned and many, many laughs. He was always quite the joker. He will be fiercely missed by his wife Bonnie, daughter Stormi and Husband Adam Cortez, son Jacob Beam, grandsons Adam Jacob and Jackson Parker Cortez, four siblings Faye Baily and Husband Milton, Lynne Maples and husband Bill, Shirley Meredith, and his big brother Wilbur Beam and wife Carol. He was the baby of seven and very spoiled by his older sisters who loved him greatly. He will also be missed immensely by his older brother and partner in crime, Wilbur. He also leaves behind countless nieces and nephews, (especially his favorite niece… you know who you are), and a community that will miss him greatly. He is also leaving behind his brotherhood of outlaws and fellow Blue Bonnet Riders. Fair winds and following seas Sailor.