Fred Beaver

Fred Earl Beaver, 64, of Clive passed away from cancer Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at his home surrounded by his loving family.

Fred is survived by his wife of forty two years, Shirley; daughters, Kelsey (Ben) Huebsch and Whitney Beaver; granddaughters, Charlotte and Eleanora Huebsch, and one grandson on the way; sister, Mary Lou (Fred) Wittrock; Stepmother, Margie Beaver; many nieces, nephews and a host of beloved friends and family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Dorothy Beaver; and granddaughter, Lucy Kate Huebsch.

Fred was born on November 20, 1949 in Des Moines, IA to Earl and Dorothy (Richter) Beaver. Fred attended Sac Community High School where he was an all-state athlete and singer, and also met his High School sweetheart, Shirley. They were married June 17, 1972. Always holding hands, they spent over 47 years of their lives together as best friends and husband and wife.

Fred played college football at UNI, and then transferred to the University of Iowa and received is BA in Accounting. He continued on to receive his Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa College of Law. In Fred’s early career he practiced proudly as a CPA, then for the past twenty seven years as an attorney in the Des Moines area.

After College they spent time in Chicago, Illinois, then Portland, Oregon where he acquired his acute appreciation of and affinity to sophisticated wines. Their first daughter Kelsey was born in Portland. The family then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota where their second daughter, Whitney, was born. The family of four then settled in Clive, Iowa.

As his girls progressed through school, Fred became an avid supporter of their athletics and vocal music (never missing an event). He paired his accounting background with his love for Valley’s choir department when he served as treasurer of the Valley Voices booster club for several years. During this time, he was also an active member of Faith Lutheran Church mentoring adolescents through confirmation classes, overnight retreats, and youth gatherings. In this capacity, he exemplified the perfect blend of humility and wisdom.

Each morning Fred’s routine started with a cup of coffee and an exhaustive read of the Register’s sports section. An avid Iowa Hawkeye fan, Fred closely followed the news of his alma mater’s sports year-round. When his children attended the University of Kansas, he enthusiastically adopted and welcomed the Jayhawks as a close second.

His hobbies included geocaching (where he logged over 100 caches), genealogy (where he often researched late into the night), grilling (a charcoal purest with a Weber), walking (where he would engage in any conversation of choice), and listening to a cappella music (a residual effect of watching his own children perform).

He thoroughly enjoyed the experience of cooking and prided himself on developing his own complex recipes. He will especially be remembered for his soups, grilled fish, smoked ribs, and homemade Christmas candy.

Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family. Making memories with his family was his favorite pastime. He cherished his vacations to New Orleans, New York City, Santa Fe, Durango, Door County, and most recently northern Minnesota. Regardless of location, Fred could be found playing dolls, building blocks, and watching musicals with his granddaughters.

Those who knew him best knew his tendency for clumsiness. This was sometimes demonstrated by coffee stains on his khakis, marks on the wall, and the more-than-occasional broken glass. Despite this humbling and endearing quality, he was very proud of the deck he designed and built just prior to receiving his diagnosis.

A silly, happy, man, he was an exceptional role model to his children, his grandchildren, and many others who were blessed to know him well.

A visitation will take place on Friday, July 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 26 at Faith Lutheran Church, 10395 University Ave, Clive. A private burial will be held at a later date at Evergreen Cemetery in Anita, Iowa.

Memorials may be made to the family, which will later be used to create a scholarship fund at Mercy College of Health Sciences.

Condolences may be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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