Donald Gene Beane died Thursday, January 11, 2024 in Wooster, Ohio at age 94.
He was born August 25, 1929 in Aurora, Illinois, to Kenneth and Helen (Brungard) Beane. He graduated from East Aurora High School in 1947. Don received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Iowa Wesleyan College in 1951 with a major in Business Administration. At Iowa Wesleyan, he lettered in basketball and track and also played baritone in the marching band. He was elected president of both his junior and senior classes and graduated magna cum laude.
In the fall of 1951, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served on active duty from 1951-1956 during the Korean War. In 1953 he attended the Officer Candidacy School in Texas and graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant. He served from 1953 – 1956 as assistant Provost Marshal at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. Don remained in the Air Force Reserves from 1956 – 1972 when he retired with the rank of Major.
Don and Marjorie Pixley were married on June 21, 1952, and shared 59 1/2 delightful years together, raising two sons and a daughter. In 1956, Don enrolled in the University of Illinois and received a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education in 1962. Then they moved to Wooster, Ohio, where he was hired as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education. He attended Ohio State University in 1965 – 1966 and obtained a Master’s Degree in Mathematics. He returned to the College of Wooster and served in the Mathematics Department until his retirement as Professor Emeritus in 1994.
Don was very active in the First Presbyterian Church for over six decades. He was integral to leadership, taught Sunday School, served as an Elder and sang in the Sanctuary Choir. His main interest was mission work of the church locally, nationally and worldwide. In Wooster, he and Marge were instrumental in founding local chapters of Habitat for Humanity and People to People Ministries, and volunteered with both organizations for many years. In addition, he tutored students seeking their GED, cleaned the Viola Startzman Medical Clinic, and volunteered at the Habitat ReStore, among many other service activities.
.After retirement from the College of Wooster, Don and Marge went to India and served as mission volunteers of the Presbyterian Church (PC) USA. He taught high school mathematics at Kodaikanal and Woodstock, both Christian International boarding schools, during three tours of service 1995-1996, 1998-1999 and 2001-2002. The couple also served as mission volunteers of PC USA at Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka, Alaska for the summers of 2004, 2007 and 2010. Over the years, Don and Marge served as a host family for many international students at the College of Wooster.
Don’s hobbies included sports, biking, hiking, bird watching, gardening, singing and games of all sorts. In addition to the church choir, he sang tenor in the Wayne County Choral Union for years. He was also a long-time member of the Wooster Rebounders and was named Rebounder of the Year in 2023. Don loved to travel and did so extensively with Marge in the United States and Canada. International travel included two years in England during his sabbatical leaves from the College of Wooster. Other tours included a summer in Europe and tours of Vietnam and China. One highlight was a year-long trip by air around the world in 2001 – 2002 to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
After Marge’s death in 2011, Don and his new partner, Patricia Miles, traveled extensively in the USA and overseas including two-week tours of Norway and the Holy Lands in Israel and Jordan. They also enjoyed cruises in the San Juan Islands and the Columbia River in Washington State.
Don was completely devoted to his family, gathering them together for reunions and faithfully remembering birthdays and wedding anniversaries. In addition to Pat Miles and family, Don is survived by his sons, David (Melanie) of Ludlow Falls, Ohio and John (Ann) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, a daughter, Linda (David Boose) of Spokane. Washington, grandsons: Michael (Victoria), Tyler (Mairead), Elliott and Eric, granddaughters: Beth, Amy (Rachad Rayess), Hannah (Robbie Hamlin) and Rachel; great grandsons: Luke, George and Iver; great granddaughters: Lilly, Ella, Sylvia, Lucy, Brooke and Maeve; and a large community of extended family and friends.
He was preceded in death by sister, Winifred Chambers.
Memorial services will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at First Presbyterian Church, 621 College Ave., Wooster with Pastor David Rice officiating. The family will greet friends following the service.
McIntire, Bradham & Sleek Funeral Home, 216 E. Larwill St., Wooster is serving the family.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 621 College Ave., Wooster OH 44691 or to Wayne County Community Foundation (Donald G. & Marjorie Pixley Beane Fund), 517 N. Market St., Wooster, OH 44691 or to the College of Wooster (Wooster Fund), 1189 Beall Ave., Wooster, OH 44691.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.mcintirebradhamsleek.com
My deepest sympathy to Don’s family. What a rich and fulfilled life he led. I remember him best as a fellow tenor in the Wooster Choral Union and volunteering at Habitat. He never stopped giving of himself and his talents.
My sincerest condolences to Don’s family. I worked with Don at the Wayne County ABLE program where he tutored students working on their GEDs and other skills. Don was such a warm, generous, kind man with a delightful sense of humor. He helped so so many people and lived such an inspirational life. A true gentleman. Fondest of memories of that lovely man.
Don was the nicest and most amazing man I’ve ever met.
I helped him with home cleaning for several years.
Gods Blessings to his family I know he loved with all his heart ❤️
It was a pleasure knowing him.
Connie Richards Simpson
At the age of 92, or very close to it, Don decided to attend our volunteer training class for Lifecare Hospice. He was a joy to have, making sure he sat up front so he could hear everything and participate in the discussions. When he graduated from the class, he began to offer companionship visits to our hospice patients in the nursing home. I’m pretty sure he enjoyed it as much at the patients did. Really lovely man. Will be missed by us.
What an amazing testimony and testimony to life. I only knew Don through brief meetings at my church but I was always impressed by his readiness to smile and bring joy to those around him, you don’t find that very much in people today. Who would have thought that such a quiet man was able to accomplish so much, and what he accomplished was pretty awesome. Today we have lost a real trooper, someone who could help us all learn a little more about life. I pray for God’s mercy and healing for the family and close loved ones Don leaves behind!
He will be so missed. Such a lively and friendly man. So enthusiastic to try new things and join in to games at our family camp when he came most years. A testimony that life is for the living, at any age!
What a beautiful life- with so much service to others. His life story is truly inspiring and uplifting. I loved sitting behind Don at church just to hear his incredible voice as he sung hymns.
Dr. Beane was a terrific professor in the Mathematics Department at the College of Wooster and an all-around, wonderfully nice fellow. He always welcomed students into his attic office in the math building and was very generous with his time in helping us. His goal was to assist our education as much as possible, and any time we succeeded in mastering a problem, he was delighted.
After I graduated from Wooster, I didn’t see Dr. Beane until my 10th-year reunion. I wandered up to his office, knocked on the door and stepped in, wondering if it was even still his office. There he was, just like I remembered. He looked up with a big smile and said, “Rick, where have you been? It’s great to see you!” After 10 years! He was that kind of guy.
My subsequent career in mathematics was due in significant part to Dr. Beane’s influence. I’ve always thought of him with great respect and great fondness. The world was a far better place with him in it.
We were very sad to read of your father’s passing. He was a shinning light at First Pres along with your mother. I was in a Bible study group with Don for over 20 years and appreciated his Bible knowledge, his passion for scripture and his world view. He taught me a lot.
Don also questioned my credentials for becoming the Christian Educator at FP! It was a good call on his part! and motivated me to take my history degree back to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary for three years leading to a degree in Christian Education. It was a wonderful three years that I am so thankful for.
Don was a faithful member of the highway clean-up group for many more years than we thought possible. He made “slow but steady” his mantra and got the job done. Don and Marge’s mission work in India was inspiring and Don was a strong advocate for the mission field. I remember many finance discussions at FP when in addition to whatever we were imagining Don wanted to know what the corresponding mission piece would be.
And finally I just came across a note in my Bible (Don’s favorite verse) “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Blessings to you all.
It is so sad to hear of the passing of this very special human being. Dr. Beane was one of the most influential people in my life’s path. When I was a sophomore at Wooster, he stirred my passion for Abstract Algebra, guided me in a math major, and inspired me to pursue graduate degrees in math. I will always have fond memories of the many hours I spent discussing and learning mathematics in his office. He set a wonderful example that I tried to emulate in my own teaching career. We followed his retirement activities through annual letters and marveled at his endless energy and life of giving. Dr. Beane truly made a huge difference in my life as I am sure he did for so many others.
How I will miss Dr. Beane. What a gentle, caring, exemplary educator. Dr. Beane was my advisor and inspiration to go on and teach math myself. Every time I was on campus I would see him and he would always greet me with a smile on his face and twinkle in his eyes. I saw him in front of Lowry Center when we attended our 50th class reunion this past June. Well done, good and faithful servant!
I read with sorrow of Don’s death. I remember him, and Marge, quite well, having worked with them both when we were active in the College Age Class in the Presbyterian Church in Mt. Pleasant in the 1950’s and then later, too. In fact I knew Marge, and her brother, since at least High School Age, our parents having been friends. I remember Don and Marge, both, with warm feelings of friendship and fellowship and extend my deepest condolences to their family.
Condolences to the Beane Family. I learned of Mr. Beane’s passing on 2-13-24.
Sympathies and condolences to the Beane Family. I learned of Mr. Beane’s passing on 2-13-24.
To Don’s family we pray the love of God enfolds you and holds you. We praise God for his life (and Marge’s). Their lives and witness were faithful and strong. I express the thoughts of many who knew Don through the New Wilmington Mission Conference and respected the way he lived his life bearing witness to the Lord. We give thanks for this saint who from his labor rests. He sings now with the heavenly choir.
Don Dawson and I became acquainted with Don and Margie when our children attended the College of Wooster as students. Then we got to know them even better when they started attending the New Wilmington Mission Conference where my Don was the director. Don and Margie faithfully attended and actively participated. They both left their marks on our lives, the lives of our children, and the New Wilmington Mission Conference.
David , John, Linda and Patricia . Sorry i can not attend March 9 , do to other commitments, to give you my condolences in person. Your dad seem to have a smile that said i enjoy life how can i help you . I enjoyed seeing him walking or riding his bike around the neighborhood and greeting him at times . Dave, John remember how we (Kerry and others )used to do the cross word puzzle in the Plain Dealer sports page to try and win tickets to the Indians ,and your dad would smile and chuckle and say you guys are over thinking the answers as they had several possible answers to the same clue . Know your dad was loved by many , blessings to you all in remembering him . Sincerely Spence Miller
Wow. We only know a piece of a person’s life while that person is living. And then we learn so much more while reading their obituary. I taught in the Math Department a few years and he was a wonderful colleague and mentor. But his cheerful efforts at helping others truly stands out. Pat Miles was my son’s favorite teacher (6th grade) and why he majored in government. She was the only one teacher he went back to see. All the best while you savor your memories and continue his example.