Alvin Gray "Grady" Beeker ^{1 2 3}

   FamilySearch ID: 9KZK-1P4.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1920 in Steele Township, Rowan, NC. ⁴ The 1920 census recorded C. T. Beeker, farmer, 48, living with wife Lula E., 46; daughter Edna M., 19; and sons Grier E., 15; Harrall, 12; and Gray, 8. Everyone and their parents were born in North Carolina.

2. MilitaryService: on 29 Aug 1942, in Cp Croft, South Carolina. ⁵

3. Census in 1930 in Salisbury, Rowan, NC. ⁶ The 1930 census recorded Charley Beeker, 59, living with wife Lula, 58; daughter Edna, saleswoman in department store, 28; son Harold T., commercial trucker fruit, 23; daughter-in-law Frances, waitress in cafeteria, 19; and grandson James T., 2 years 4 months, and son A. Gray, usher in theater, 18. Everyone and their parents were born in North Carolina.

4. Census in 1940 in Greenwood, Greenwood, SC. ⁷ The 1940 census recorded Grady Beeker, manager of picture show, single, 27, living as a lodger at 321 Hampton Avenue in a $50,000 home owned by Mary K. Gambrell, widow, 64. Grady was born in North Carolina. In 1935 he lived in Columbia, SC.

5. Occupation: Greenwood Theatres Inc., Hampton Avenue, Greenwood, SC on 16 Oct 1940 in Greenwood, Greenwood, SC. ⁸

6. He was described as 5' 8" 133 lbs blue eyes brown hair light complexion on 16 Oct 1940 in Greenwood, Greenwood, SC. ⁸

7. Newspaper: Greensboro Daily News: Grady Beeker New Theater Manager, 9 Sep 1941, Greensboro, Guilford, NC. ⁹ BURNS RESIGNS POST AS THEATER MANAGER
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Grady Beeker, Greenwood, S. C, Will Succeed Him At Carolina Sept. 22.
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Frank h. Burns, manager of the Carolina theater for about 10 years, has resigned his position with North Carolina Theaters, incorporated, to enter other work, he announced last night.
It was announced by Montgomery S. Hill, president of the theater company, that Burns will be succeeded by Grady Beeker, Greenwood, S. C., who will assume his duties here September 22.
Hill said the company accepted Burns' resignation with regreat and that the retiring manager is held in high regard by his employers, being a valuable man in the theater business. Burns has been with the organization for 12 years and has managed theaters here and in High Point, Winston-Salem, Rocky Mount and Salisbury.
Burns successor, Beeker, comes to the city highly recommended, Hill stated. He has been with the organization for eight years and managed houses in Salisbury, Columbia, S. C., Florence, S. C. and Greenwood.

8. Obituary: Greensboro Daily News: Grady Beeker Missing Over France on 30 Aug 1944 in Greensboro, Guilford, NC. ¹⁰ Grady Beeker Is Missing Over France
Special to Daily News SALISBURY, Aug. 29.- Staff Sgt. Grady Beeker, 33, holder of the Silver Star, the Air Medal and seven Oak Leaf clusters, has been missing in action over France since August 10, his mother, Mrs. C. T. Beeker, of Mill Bridge, has been informed. He was lost on his 60th mission as top turret gunner of a B-26.
In civilian life Sergeant Beeker, known as "Gray" in his home community, was connected with theaters here and in other cities of the section. Following graduation from Boyden high school he became assistant manager of the Capitol theater. At the time of his enlistment in the army air corps August 26, 1942, he was manager of the Carolina theater at Greensboro. Becker was transferred overseas January 24, 1944, and immediately entered upon missions carrying him over numerous continental targets.
He has two brothers, Sgt. Haruld Beeker, of the army medical corps, in France, and G. E. Beeker, of Gastonia, and three sisters, Mrs. C. M. Gillespie, of Mill Bridge; Mrs. P. I. Choate, of Sparta, and Mrs. T. L. Choate, of Whiteford, Md.

9. Obituary: The State: Sgt. Grady Beeker, Formerly Here, Missing In Action on 31 Aug 1944 in Columbia, Lexington, SC. ¹¹ Sgt. Grady Beeker, Formerly Here, Missing in Action
Staff Sgt. Grady Beeker, 33, who was manager of the Carolina theater here several years ago and also a member of the Columbia Lion's club, has been missing in action over France since August 10, his mother, Mrs. C. T. Beeker of Mill Bridge, N.C. has been informed. He was lost on his 60th mission as a top turret gunner of a B-26.
Sergeant Beeker has been awarded the seven oak leaf clusters. He enlisted in the army air corps August 26, 1942, and was transferred overseas Junary 24, 1944.
After working here as Carolina theater manager, Sergeant Beeker was connected with theaters in Greenwood. He was a manager of the Carolina theater at Greensboro, N. C. when he entered the army.

10. Obituary: Gastonia Gazette: Gastonian's Brother, Killed in 1944, Sent to U.S. For Services on 22 Feb 1950 in Gastonia, Gaston, NC. ¹² The body of a U. S. airman, a brother of E. G. Beeker of Gastonia, has been recovered from a watery grave almost six years after his plane was shot down over the English Channel.
The War Department has notified Mr. Beeker that the B-26 of which S/Sgt. Alvin Gray Beeker of Salisbury was a top turret gunner has been fished from the channel. The plane went down August 9, 1944, following a raid on the continent.
Bodies of all six of the crew were recovered, the War Department said. But no positive identification of individual members could be made. For that reason, it added, the entire crew will be buried at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, Ky., which is a common center for all next of kin. A shrine to the crew will be erected in the cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Beeker left Gastonia this morning to attend the military funeral scheduled Thursday morning at 11 o'clock.
S/Sgt. Beeker is also survived by his mother, Mrs. C. T. Beeker, Salisbury, R-2; a brother, H. T. Beeker of Baton Rouge, La.; and three sisters, Mrs. P. L. Choate, Sparta, Mrs. Clyde Gillespie, Salisbury, and Mrs. P. L. Choate, Chester, Pa.

11. He has conflicting burial information of Alvin Beeker was interred at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in a grave with his fellow airmen who died in WWII., 23 Feb 1950 and Louisville, Jefferson, KY. ^{3 13}

12. Obituary: Courier-Journal: Military Rites for 13 Men Set for Today on 23 Feb 1950 in Louisville, Jefferson, KY. ¹³ Military funerals for 13 servicemen who died overseas during World War II will be held today at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery. Services today will be at 11 a.m. for Sgt. Alvin G. Beeker, Salisbury, N.C.; Lt. James R. Elliott, Crittenden, Ky.; Sgt. William C. Lastinger, Lancaster, Penn.; Sgt. James J. Moulder, River Grove, Ill; Lts. Raymond H. Phillips, Columbus, Ga., and Sgt. Harold J. Whisenant, Oceana, W. Va.