Richard A. (Dick) Beebe, 81, of Rutherfordton, North Carolina died Wednesday, June 19, at Hospice of Rutherford County. A native of Waverly, Iowa, he served in the U.S. Navy and attended Iowa State Teachers College. After retiring from the trucking industry, he began a second career as an interior finish painter. A longtime resident of Memphis, Tennessee and Northeast Arkansas, he was an avid reader and golfer, and volunteered for many years at the FedEx St. Jude Golf Classic. He was a lifetime member of Optimist International, serving as president of the Optimist Club of White Station and Lt. Governor of the Tennessee District, and was actively involved in Episcopal Cursillo in Arkansas. A member of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Rutherfordton, he was a lector, usher, and member of the Building and Grounds Committee. He also served as a volunteer mediator in the Criminal Court of Rutherford County and was a McNair Foundation mentor to students at RS Central High School. Dick is survived by his wife, the Rev. Chris Fair Beebe of Rutherfordton; a sister, Nancy Meyer (Jerry) of The Villages, FL; daughters Janet Yarborough of Hot Springs Village, AR, Joanie Cary (Coy) of Brighton, TN, and Patricia Beebe of Lakeland, Florida; sons David Beebe (Cindy) of Collierville, TN and Daniel Griffin of Tucson, AZ; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Martell and Matilda Beebe, seven brothers and sisters, and a son, Michael Beebe. Dick’s life will be celebrated with a memorial service at 2:00 pm, Friday, June 28 at St. Francis Episcopal Church, with the Rt. Rev. G. Porter Taylor, officiating. A reception for family and friends will be held immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to Hospice of Rutherford County, P. O. Box 336, Forest City, NC 28043 or to St. Francis Episcopal Church Restoration Fund, P. O. Box 46, Rutherfordton, NC 28139.