Kenneth Harold Beaumont

Kenneth Harold “Boopie” Beaumont passed away peacefully Sunday December 5th, 2021 in the ICU of EGRMC. As he took his final breaths, his wife of 48 years standing beside him, held his hand and tearfully thanked him for five decades of marriage.

Ken was born in 1933 to James Franklin Beaumont and Ada Magdalene Beaumont (nee Cobb) in Pensacola, FL, who both preceded him in death. His brothers, James Franklin Jr. Beaumont and Don Beaumont, preceded him in death. Ken is survived by his wife Sharon Beaumont, his son Keith Beaumont, brothers Gary (Kathy) and Kirk (Cindy), as well as his sister Susan.

Ken developed a lifelong love of the sea at an early age. This passion would inevitably come into irreconcilable conflict with his waning enthusiasm for attending school. So at age15, Ken dropped out with hopes of enlisting. The Navy required all enlistees be at least 17.  However, not one to let his life be dictated by trivial details such as date of birth, Ken convinced the Reserves he was eligible (despite evidence to the contrary). After two years in the Reserves, he became active duty.

Ken served in various capacities, including as an Ordnanceman aboard the USS Oriskany, a data analyst,a flight line supervisor, a flight engineer, and as a maintenance Chief. He resided on bases in Memphis, TN, Port Lyautey in Morocco, Naples in Italy, Cieba in Puerto Rico, Key West, and Lages in the Azores. After serving for 20 years, Ken retired from the Navy as a Master Chief Petty Officer (E8).

Having completed his GED while enlisted, Ken enrolled in seminary school, Concordia Teachers College (1970-1971), and then completed his Bachelor’s degree in English at the University of West Florida (1971-1972),.

On March 14, 1973, Ken and Sherry were married. Ken then worked as a high school English and Drama teacher in Appling and Camden Counties, and at Cheyenne/Eagle Butte HS in North Dakota on Lakota tribal territory. In 1979 he received his Masters in Education from UWF. He was a member of two Honors fraternities: Kappa Delta Pi and Phi Theta Kappa.

From 1978-1989, Ken worked as a Naval recruiter operating out of Gulfport, MS (78-80), Orlando, FL (80-87), and Scotia, NY (87-89). He received the Secretary of the Navy’s Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service and the Secretary of the Navy’s Medal for Superior Civilian Service. While in Orlando, Ken and Sherry had their only son, Keith Beaumont.

In 1990, the family moved to Statesboro, GA, where Ken and Sherry have since resided. He worked as a Recruiter-Support Specialist for Live Oak Migrant Education Agency until 1994. Then he became a job coach, helping disabled people attain employment, at the DOL from 1996-2000. He’s since worked as a peanut inspector, a driving instructor, a substitute teacher, and numerous part-time and seasonal jobs.

Ken’s interests included hard work, good jokes, boxing, dirty jokes, hard work, reading, clean jokes, writing poetry, hard work, bad jokes, singing, traveling around the world, hard work, the stock market,  Microsoft Flight Simulator, learning new skills, being the best father and the best husband in every way, and telling lots and lots of jokes.

He’s visited dozens of countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, including Ireland, the Vatican, Morocco, Mexico, Jamaica, the Netherlands, Russia, England, Estonia, Germany and many more in his lifetime.

A memorial service will be held on Friday December 10th, at 3 PM at St Paul’s Lutheran Church 1608 Fair Rd Statesboro, GA 30458 . Deal Funeral Directors of Statesboro is in charge of the arrangements. Pastor Samuel Clay will preside over the service. The family welcomes all who wish to attend and asks that donations be given to the Humane Society of Statesboro and Bulloch County or some other worthy charity.

Ken will be buried in Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, FL on December 14th.