08/12/2003
A memorial services for John Lee Beebout, 87, of Knoxville, who died Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2003 at Iowa Methodist Hospital, from complications due to a previous stroke, will be held Monday, Aug. 18, at 1 p.m., at the United Methodist Church in Knoxville.
Interment at Graceland Cemetery will follow the service.
John Calvin Lee Beebout, the son of John Tyler and Louie Jemima (Smith) Beebout, was born on a farm west of Columbia on June 13, 1916. At the age of six, he moved with his parents to Knoxville where he graduated from high school in 1935.
On June 7, 1938, he married Ruth Maxine Wilson. To this union, three children were born.
John was employed by Dickerson Produce and the Beebout-Clark Oil Company. Following a call into the ministry, he began his education toward ordination. He graduated from Simpson College in 1946 and Drew Theological Seminary in Madison, N.J. in 1949.
During his seminary years, he preached in churches in New York State.
Following graduation from Drew, John returned to Iowa and was ordained as Elder and was received into membership in the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1949.
He served churches in Milo, Malvern, Bloomfield, Clarinda, Ogden, and Wapello.
After retiring he moved to Knoxville where he served for six years as visitation pastor of the First United Methodist Church and as part-time chaplain at the Veteran's Hospital.
He was very active in the Knoxville community. He was instrumental in the formation of the Marion County Hospice and formerly served on the Board of Directors of the United Way and Kiwanis Club.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth; two sons, John of New York City and Robert and wife of La Porte City; a daughter, Kim Wilkinson, and husband, Don, of Mission, Texas; four grandchildren and great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews, Sandra Keller, Norma, and Ancil Borchert, Eileen Kirkwood and the family of Ed Beebout.
Arrangements were made by Williams Funeral Home. Journal-Express, Knoxville,