Alfred Cassie Beebe

Alfred Cassie Beebe, 94, of Savannah, died Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 at Candler Hospital.
He was born in Springfield, Ga., and was preceded in death by his parents, Robbie Lee Beebe and Viola Cribbs Beebe; his wife, Sara Nance Beebe, and his son, Robbie Lee Beebe.
He was retired from Union Camp Paper Corporation, where he worked for 43 years and nine months, as a “Spare Machine Tender” operator, in the Paper Making Department. Alfred tried to enjoy retired life for a while, perched on his John Deere tiller, he cultivated his garden, broadcast seeds, beans, squash and corn, tomatoes, and even experimented with a couple of grape vines. He threw some crab traps and fished for trout off his dock. Once he caught a 32 – inch bass, but after eating it, he was sorry he kept it.
It didn’t taste right, he said.
Alfred enjoyed sitting on his screened in back porch on Whitemarsh Island. Through the tall pines and oaks, he’d watch the light change on Richardson Creek. Sometimes he’d see one of those big ships come up the South Channel of the Savannah River.
Alfred moved to Whitemarsh in 1969, after having lived in Avondale in east Savannah, when his late wife thought it would be nice to be on the water.
Somewhere along the line, Beebe, who is 93, developed an interest in Corvettes. He liked the way they look. He liked the way they run.
It was in 1948 that he and his wife started going to Trinity United Methodist Church on Telfair Square – some 100 years after the church was founded—mostly because his mother in law, who lived on Perry Street, was a member. Beebe has never left. Alfred was a member of the Marvin O’Neal Sunday School Class, the Administrative Board, and the Trinity Men’s Club. Alfred was greatly loved and appreciated by all the folks at Trinity United Methodist Church.
It was 10 years after he retired from Union Camp, in 1997, that he got a call from the Rev. Enoch Hendry. “He wanted to know if this one weekend, I would open up the church on Sunday, and help with a wedding. Beebe said, “I said, “I’ll try”. Then he asked if I wanted to do it all the time, that’s when I said, “I got to think about that”, I mean I like to fish, it was nothing for me to leave my dock early in the morning by myself and stay out until it got dark.” Alfred was an Avid Fisherman and Shrimper.
Eventually Beebe said yes. “Now I am the custodian he said, and I’m going to tell you the truth, I like it, I like the job, I like the people, I really do.
Four days a week Beebe gets up at 4 a.m. and drives to the church. He opens the sanctuary, cleans the bathrooms, blows the sidewalks and front porch, dusts the offices, straightens up the social hall, polished the brass candleholders and vacuums the carpet.
I believe in keeping it looking good, he said. “I believe I’m the oldest member of the church, (and he still is the oldest member). For the Church’s Sunday Dinners, held every fifth week, Beebe makes his famous shrimp salad.
Alfred is survived by 3 daughters, Linda Long, (Jerry), Pooler, Ga; Martha Galetta, (Rev. Leo Galetta), Penn Yan, New York, and Paulette Beebe; 4 sisters, Carolyn Williams, Ollie Milner, Christine Carter and Nell Bradham, 5 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, and a number of nieces and nephews.
Visitation: Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, 6 – 7:30 p.m. at Baker – McCullough Funeral Home, Hubert C. Baker Chapel.
Funeral Services: 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 at Historic Trinity United Methodist Church on Telfair Square, with Rev. Enoch Hendry, and Rev. Leo Galetta, officiating.
Alfred will be taken to the church to lie in state at 9 a.m. Thursday to lie in state.
Interment will follow next to his wife and sons, in the Springfield Cemetery, in Springfield, Ga.
Remembrances: Trinity United Methodist Church, Savannah, Ga 31401
Baker-McCullough Funeral Home, Hubert C. Baker Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Fairhaven Funeral Home, Hubert C. Baker Chapel.