William Jesse Beecher ^{2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11}

   FamilySearch ID: L699-VJR.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1930 in York, York, PA. ⁶ The 1930 census recorded at renting at 596 Princess Street: Wm. R. Beecher, foreman safe works, 34, living with wife Florence M., 39; and son Wm J. Beecher, 7. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

2. Newspaper: Gazette and Daily: William Beecher, 13, Has Birthday Party, 27 Jun 1935, York, York, PA. ¹² William J. Beecher, who celebrated his thirteen birthday anniversary, was given a surprise party on Tuesday evening by his parents, Mrs. and Mrs. William R. Beecher, 594 West Princess street. He received many gifts. The luncheon table was decorated with cut flowers, favors, and a cake with thirteen candles. Games were played during the evening. Thos present were: Junior Anderson, Eugene Budesheim, David Truett, Richard Schwartz, Earl Seitz, Harold Whorley, William Allison, Frederick, George Sipes, Richard Hoffman, Millard Sipes, Rodney Fahs, Thomas Mountford, William J. Beecher and Mr. and Mrs. William R. Beecher.

3. Newspaper: Gazette and Daily: 15-Year-Old Boy Is Struck By Auto, 2 Sep 1937, York, York, PA. ¹³ William Beecher Suffers Possible Fracture of Skull In Accident
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Condition Is Fair
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William Beecher, 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Beecher, 594 West Princess street, is a patient in the West Side sanitarium from injuries received when he was struck by an automobile yesterday. Clarence Wetzel, 238 South West street, operator of the car, reported the accident to city police.
He told police he was traveling west on Salem avenue and when he arrived int he vicinity of Budesheim's Butcher shop, the boy stepped off the curbe into the right side of his automobile. He said that he took the boy to the hospital. The lad's condition was given as fair at the institution last night. He is suffering from a laceration of the scalp and a possible fracture of the skull.

4. Newspaper: Gazette and Daily: Accident Victim Out of Hospital, 3 Sep 1937, York, York, PA. ¹⁴ William Beecher, 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Beecher, 594 West King street, was discharged from the West Side sanitarium yesterday after being a patient there for one day, suffering from bruises sustained Wednesday when he ran into an automobile.

5. Census in 1940 in York, York, PA. ¹⁵ The 1940 census recorded William R. Beecher, 43, living with wife Florence, 50; and son William J., 17. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

6. Newspaper: Gazette and Daily: Bus and Pleasure Cars in Collision, 31 Mar 1942, York, York, PA. ¹⁶ Two cars and a bus were involved in an accident at 7:15 o'clock yesterday morning at Market and Hartman streets, police reported. There was no damage to the bus but both cars were damaged considerably.
William J. Beecher, 182 Broad street, Hellam, driver of one of the cars, told police that as he approached Hartman street a bus of the York Bus company left the curb. He said his car struck the side of the bus and then collided with a car driven by C. W. Mann, 28 West King street.

7. Military from 1 Dec 1942 to 9 Nov 1945 in , , PA: World War II. ¹⁷

8. Newspaper: Gazette and Daily: photo of Pvt. William J. Beecher, 1 Jan 1943, York, York, PA. ¹⁸ At Oregon Camp
(photo)
Pvt. William J. Beecher, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. William R. Beecher, 182 Broad street, Hallam, who is stationed at Camp Adair, Ore. He is serving in the field artillery. A graduate of William Penn Senior High school, before entering service, he was employed at the York Safe and Lock company as an inspector.

9. Newspaper: Gazette and Daily: Service Notes - photo of William J. Beecher, 26 Apr 1945, York, York, PA. ¹⁹ (photo) Cpl. William J. Beecher, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Beecher, Hallam, who was awarded the Bronze Star Feb. 24, somewhere in Germany.
Inducted into the Army Dec 1, 1942, he received basic training at Camp Adair, Oregon. Sent overseas last August, he landed in France and immediately went into action. He is a graduate of William Penn Senior High school and was employed as an inspector at York Safe and Lock company.

10. Newspaper: Gazette and Daily: Hallam Soldier Cited For Bravery, 28 Apr 1945, York, York, PA. ¹⁹ Cpl. William J. Beecher, serving with the 385th Field Artiller battalion, was awarded the Bronze Star medal for meritorious achievement in connection with military operations in Germany, Feb. 24. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Beecher, Hallam.
The citation reads in part:
"At great risk to his life, Cpl. Beecher, with two companions, left his covered positions to help extinguish a fire in an ammunition pit, which had been started by strafing by enemy planes. Despite the heat from the fire and the danger of shells exploding, the three men completed their task, extinguishing the fire and saving much valuable ammunition. Cpl. Beecher's intrepid bravery and devotion to duty are in keeping with the finest traditions of the armed forces and reflects the greatest credit upon himself and the military service."

11. Newspaper: Gazette and Daily: Service Notes - William J. Beecher, 12 Jul 1945, York, York, PA. ²⁰ Nine York and York county boys, all attached to the 104th Infantry (Timberwolf) Division, are at present home on furlough, after which they will return to camp for training to prepare them for further battles against the Japs in the Pacific.
The Timberwolf Division was the first to travel to France directly from the United States, and it saw continuous action against the Germans for six months. This division fought at Antwerp and Aachen, participated in the capture of Cologne and, once across the Rhine, pursued the enemy in a race to the Mulde river, where the last Nazis were crushed between the Russians and the American First Army.
Those York county members of the Timberwolf Division who are home on leave are:
Capl. William J. Beecher, son of Mr. and Mrs. William R. Beecher, 182 Broad street, Hellam, who took part in the battles in Belgium, Holland and Germany, and who holds the Bronze Star and the Good Conduct medal.
.

12. Newspaper: The Gazette and Daily, 6 Jan 1947, York, York, PA. ²¹ Mrs. Annie C. Hershey, 120 South Sumner street, has announced the engagement of her granddaughter, Miss Bette Hershey, to William J. Beecher, son of Mr. and Mrs. William R. Beecher, 182 Broad street, Hellam. Miss Hershey is employed as a stenographer at the Barnes Wall Paper company. Mr. Beecher is a student at Temple university, Philadelphia. No date has been set for the wedding.

13. Residence: 180 Broad St., Hellam, PA on 3 Sep 1947 in Hellam Twp., York, PA. ⁸

14. Census in 1950 in West York, York, PA. ²² The 1950 census recorded at 112 South Sumner Street in West York: William J. Beecher, stained glass artist for church interiors, 27, living with wife Bette J. Beecher, stenographer for wallpaper, 24. They were born in Pennsylvania.

15. Residence: 118 S. Sumner St., York Pa. On 16 Jan 1950 in York, York, PA. ¹⁷

16. Residence: 911 South Russell St., York, PA on 14 May 1960 in York, York, PA. ¹⁰

17. Residence: on 17 Feb 1969 in York, York, PA. ¹¹

18. Residence: 911 S. Russell St., York, Pa 17402 in 2009 in York, York, PA. ²³

19. Obituary: York Daily Record: obtituary of William J. Beecher on 16 Jul 2104 in York, York, PA. ⁷ William Jesse Beecher, 92, went to be with his Lord on July 13, 2014. He was the husband of Bette Jane (Hershey) Beecher who died in August 1988. He was born in York on June 22, 1922, a son of the late William Ross and Florence (Briggs) Beecher. Bill was a 1940 graduate of William Penn Senior High School and attended Temple University. Early in his career, he worked with Rudy Glass and then spent 31 years with the U.S. Postal Service. He was an U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He and Bette were avid campers until her death in 1988. Bill is survived by nieces, Sonia L. Breneman and husband Norman of York, and Glenda Taurins and husband Indulus of New Smyrna, Fla. At the discretion of the family, services are private. Many thanks to Autumn House East for many years of loving care and to Grane Hospice. Arrangements by Etzweiler Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 1111 E. Market St., York, PA.

William married Bette Jane Hershey, daughter of Earl Franklin Hershey and Hazel Verna Geiselman, on 6 Sep 1947 in York, York, PA.^{1 2} (Bette Jane Hershey was born on 11 Jan 1925 in West York, York, PA,^{24 25 26} died on 17 Aug 1988 in York, York, PA ^{7 24 26} and was buried on 20 Aug 1988 in Seven Valleys: Mount Prospect Cemetery, York, PA ^{24 26}.)