Donald Eugene Beecher ^{3 4 5 6 7}

   FamilySearch ID: LH8K-KZK.

  Burial Notes:

Section 367 Block I Grave 1

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Newspaper: Harrisburg Telegraph: "Mr. And Mrs. Samuel M. Beecher, 605 N Fifteenth st., have announced the birth of a son, Donald Eugene Beecher, at the Polyclinic Hospital, Oct 19, 1925. Mrs. Beecher was formerly Miss Emma Moore, Mechanicsburg.", 20 Oct 1925, Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA. ¹⁰

2. Census in 1930 in New Cumberland, Cumberland, PA. ¹¹ The 1930 census recorded Samuel M. Beecher, 40, living with wife Emma J., 39; son Samuel M. Beecher Jr., 14; daughter Margaret W., 10; son Wayne G., 7; son Donald E., 4; and daughter Jean L., 1. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

3. Census in 1940 in New Cumberland, Cumberland, PA. ³ The 1940 census recorded owning a home at 607 Sixteenth Street: Samuel N. Beecher, locomotive engineer, 50, living with wife Emma, 49; son Wayne N., 17; Donald, 14; and daughter James L. [should be Jean], 12. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania and lived in the same house in 1935.

4. Occupation: New Cumberland Depot, New Cumberland, PA on 19 Oct 1943 in New Cumberland, Cumberland, PA. ⁷

5. He was described as 5' 11" 160 lbs blue eyes, blonde hair light complexion on 19 Oct 1943 in Lemoyne, Cumberland, PA. ⁷

6. Residence: 607 W. 16th St., New Cumberland, PA on 19 Oct 1943 in New Cumberland, Cumberland, PA. ⁷

7. Military on 22 Dec 1943 in New Cumberland, Cumberland, PA: World War II: Sgt. Company C 3104th Signal Service Batallion. ⁴

8. Newspaper: Evening News: "Pvt. Donald E. Beecher, who is with a signal training battalion at Camp Edison, Fort Monmouth, N. J., spend the week-end at his home, 607 Sixteenth street, New Cumberland.", 8 Feb 1944, Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA. ¹²

9. Newspaper: Harrisburg Telegraph: photo of Pfc. Donald E. Beecher, 23 Aug 1944, Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA. ¹³ Teletype Operator in France. Pfc. Donald E. Beecher, son of Mr. and Mrs. S. M. Beecher, is serving with the Signal Corps in France as a teletype operator. Entering the service December 22, 1943, he trained at Monmouth, N. J., and was sent from there to England. Beecher is a graduate of New Cumberland High School and was employed at the New Cumberland Supply Depot before entering the service.

10. Newspaper: Harrisburg Telegraph: Tell Bethrothal of Miss Spong, 29 Jan 1948, Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA. ¹⁴ Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Shearer, Jr., of Camp Hill, R. D. 1, have announced the engagement of Mrs. Shearer's daughter, Miss Patricia Ann Spong, to Donald E. Beecher, son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel M. Beecher, of 607 Sixteenth street, New Cumberland.
Miss Spong was graduated from Lemoyne High School and is employed at the State Department of Revenue. Mr. Beecher was graduated form the New Cumberland High School and is employed at the Harrisburg Gas Company.

11. Occupation: meter reader on 24 May 1948 in New Cumberland, Cumberland, PA. ¹

12. Residence: 607 W 16th Street, New Cumberland, PA on 24 May 1948 in New Cumberland, Cumberland, PA. ¹

13. Newspaper: Evening News: Spong-Beecher Wedding, 14 Jun 1948, Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA. ² Patricia Spong Wed To Donald E. Beecher
(photo) MRS. DONALD E. BEECHER
CAMP HILL, June 14. The marriage of Miss Patricia A. Spong, daughter of Mrs. Robert C. Shearer, Jr., Camp Hill, R. D. 1, to Donald E. Beecher, son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel M. Beecher, of New Cumberland, took place June 6 in Pine Street Presbyterian Church, Harrisburg. The Rev. E. Charles Smith, assistant pastor, officiated. The bride, given in marriage by her grandfather, Jacob H. Spong, was attended by Mrs. Raymond C Baker, Jr., matron of honor. Joyce E Shearer, sister of the bride, was flower girl. E. Fred Ross was best man and the ushers were Wayne G. Beecher, brother of the bridegroom, and Jacob H Spong, Jr., uncle of the bride. Following a reception at the home of the bride's uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Everett S. Shearer, the pair left on a wedding trip to Virginia. They are now living at 530 West Sixteenth street, New Cumberland. Mrs. Beecher, a graduate of Lemoyne High School, is employed by the State Department of Revenue. Beecher, who was graduated from New Cumberland High School, served in the Army in the ETO. He is employed by the Harrisburg Gas Company.

14. Residence: 530 West 16th St., New Cumberland, PA on 14 Jun 1948 in New Cumberland, Cumberland, PA. ²

15. Census in 1950 in New Cumberland, Cumberland, PA. ¹⁵ The 1950 census recorded at 607 16th Street: Samuel Beecher, train engineer, 60, living with wife Emma, 59; daughter Jean, operator of electric billing machine for telephone company, 21; and son Donald, gas reader for gas company, 24 with his wife Patricia, renews operator cards for revenue department, 24. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

16. Residence: 9 S. 2nd St., Wormleysburg, PA on 12 Apr 1950 in Wormleysburg, Cumberland, PA. ⁴

17. Residence: on 8 Nov 1971 in Wormleysburg, Cumberland, PA. ⁵

18. Residence: on 21 Aug 1979 in Wormleysburg, Cumberland, PA. ¹⁶

19. Residence: 11 S. 2nd St., Wormleysburg, PA on 19 Apr 1989 in Wormleysburg, Cumberland, PA. ⁸

20. Obituary: Patriot News: obituary of Donald E. Beecher on 21 Apr 1989 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA. ⁹ Donald E. Beecher, 63, of 11 S. Second St., Wormleysburg, died Wednesday at home. He was a retired real estate salesman, a World War II veteran and was a member of Community United Methodist Church, New Cumberland, the Mechanicsburg Sportsmen's Association, the National Rifle Association, and the Wormleysburg Fire Company. Surviving are his wife, Patricia A. Beecher; two sons, David E. and Keith E., both of Wormleysburg; two brothers, Samuel Jr. of Dover, and Wayne G. of Sacramento, Calif.; a sister, Jean L. Nace of Mechanicsburg; and three granddaughters. Services will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow in the Myers-Hall Funeral Home, Camp Hill. Burial will be in Rolling Green Memorial Park, Lower Allen Twp. Viewing will be from 10 to 11 a.m. tomorrow at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, Cumberland County Unit, 117 N. Hanover St., Carlisle, 17013.

Donald married Patricia Ann Rhoades, daughter of Charles Mabery Rhoades and Catharine Mae Spong, on 6 Jun 1948 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, PA.^{1 2} (Patricia Ann Rhoades was born on 8 Jan 1925 in Wormleysburg, Cumberland, PA,^{1 17 18} died on 31 Dec 2017 in Carlisle, Cumberland, PA ^{18 19} and was buried in Camp Hill: Rolling Green Cemetery, Cumberland, PA ^{18 19}.)