Jonathan Klune

I was waitng for others to comment before me because I wanted to be 9th to comment. I have many Freshman Football memories of Bill. He threw 4 or 5 interceptions during very tough games with revile Catholic Schools  As I was the Tight End position for our team, I was frustrated, believe you me. you can ask My best friend, Ralph Mayorga, if he was still alive.He'd tell you.  And our 2nd Quarterback was Charlie Wright who also threw powerful but wild, inaccurate passes too. Needless to say, we lost every freshman game but ONE ! I'm not complaining too much...but One special, secret play, Ralph Mayorga stepped forward and stepped back quickly before the snap to distract the other Catholioc School rival team, that the ball was going to by thrown to Ralph ( The play was a called a Tight End Quick) then, Our star quarterback, Bill Beebe faked the ball to Eloy Rodriguez (our FULL BACK) up thru the two hole. I was to count to 4, then (Sprint with my lightning fast speed towards the goal post and STOP on a DIME (so the other defensive back who was guarding me  would keep running past me). Bill Beebe, (I'm not shitten you) drilled that football high enough that the defensive back couldn't reach it but the pass was to short so I ran back and reached over the defensive back (who would have intercepted the pass) and I pulled in my first touchdown LONG BOMB PASS and we won our only game in our freshman year. I owe my football Carerer to Bill Beebe. Coach Altobelli from the varsity team came up after the game and praised Bill and I as a great team effort.  Other than That story, the Freshman year ended and I quit playing for the next 3 years. If I told you anymore stories with Bill, I suppose the libraries of St Monicas won't be able to hold all the volumes. Maybe Gary Nitti can corect ani rong punktuations or mis speling I maid. Please.

Pat McDonell

His mother Sonja called me break the news but classmate Gene  arsenault had already given me the horrible news. It was way too soon, Billy.  Of course I played freshman football with Billy. We competed for the QB spot and before our first game, the only one we won that year, I told our coach Jacobs I did Not want to be the quarterback. I wanted to catch balls and play defensive end, not get my ass kicked by these monster defensive linemen on superior teams we had to play against, like  Crespi, bishop Montgomery -- huge schools way out of our league.  Billy took over the starting job and did well. He had a good arm. He was about my size in high school, 6-1, but he was a late bloomer and grew to 6-6 after high school and worked at Tex's Sporting Goods and skied and was all-around athlete and loved to fish with his dad Bill Sr who for decades  was outdoor editor and columnist for the Santa Monica Evening Outlook. Billy and I stayed in touch through crazy circumstances. I ended up in Journalism writing sports and features  for the Outlook and his dad who at that time was editor of the weekly Saturday feature supplement of the paper. I was a "copy boy" and  fledgling writer for the outlook at 19 or 20i years of age and I wrote features for Bill Sr. Whoeee Bill Sr was a tough editor. A helluva journalist and photographer. After a year of working for the Outlook I graduated from SMC and then SDSU and worked as a sportswriter in north San Diego County for four years before turning to outdoor writing as - get this- editor of Western Outdoor News.Bill was a longtime writer for that weekly and I technically became the elder Beebe's "boss" but only in title. I then became friends with both father and son again and fished with them on their boat and through Bill Sr I always heard about Billy's great success as regional sales director (or whatever his title was) at Adidas. He sold a shitload of shoes and apparel.  Highly successful. All lives have their tests. Billy lost his first wife to cancer. Horrible. He eventually remarried and although never Whst you could call "close" we stayed connected loosely through texts and phone calls as his father slipped into the grip of Alzheimer's. His mother, his father, Billy and I arranged for lunch near his parents home as a kind of goodbye to Bill Sr. He was slipping away and the lunch was nice as he recognized me still. Reality was becoming distorted for his father and it was a long journey for Billy as he watched his mother become her husband's full time caregiver at a time when Billy hoped they would be enjoying their golden years with grandchildren and travel. When his father finally passed earlier this year I wrote Bill Sr's obituary for Western Outddor News even though I'd retired four years earlier. You might find this macabre but while editor of the paper Bill Sr  called to say he was going to writing his column "Beebe Shots" after 40 years as he noticed his writing "mistakes."  I told him that it was his choice but he had one final assignment. He had to write his own obituary for me because he deserved a complete one. He had a great career. I didn't want to screw up his Obit.  He did write it -it was detailed and perfect, and I saved it for 10 years on my computer. Billy updated it and sent a few pictures and I added more details and testamonials from fellow journalists and it ran in its entirety on the Western  Outdoor News newspaper website WONews.com and a shorter version ran in the print edition. The Los Angeles Times did a beautiful piece on Bill Beebe Sr, as a pre-eminent journalist and photographer. His iconic photo of President John F. Kennedy rollicking in the surf in Santa Monica on a visit was a finalist for a Pulitzer. The last time I communicated with Billy was a few months ago when I sent him a photo of him at a school dance taken by Barbara Grimes posted on this school website.. He got a laugh out of it and we promised to both be at the 50th. Hell or high water. He missed the 30th with the death of his first wife that week, and I missed the 40th due to sickness and Billy texted me and said he was ticked I didn't make it. We agreed we had good reasons for missing the last two reunions. We vowed  to make this one in September and catch up.  We will eventually but not just yet. Billy was a great guy. Family man and doting father, caring son and fine athlete and successful businessman. Rest in peace Billy. I'll miss you at the 50th

We all will. 

Carl Lubisich

I, too, remember Bill from way back at St. Joan of Arc grammer school and the Cub Scouts! A great guy friendly, smiling and I always felt honored when I was selected to play on his team in the schoolyard games.

RIP, Bill. 

Steven Mackin

Bill Beebe was AWESOME! All the descriptions of him being kind, friendly and gracious are spot on. Just a great guy!! My favorite Bill Beebe story occured during our Junior year, when his dad scored some tickets for a charter yellow fin tuna fishing trip out of Sand Diego. This also entailed round trip air fare from LAX to San Diego and back, transportation back and forth to the airport(s) and back, and all fees paid. How cool is that when you're  sixteen?

So the boat takes off that evening, and the next morning, we're wayyyy out on the ocean fishing. Bill's catching fish, and all I caught was seasickness, probably due in large part to the bacon, eggs, hashbrowns and toast breakfast we had that morning. It's FREE, right? Well he caught a bunch of fish, and I survived to live another day.

Just a wonderful man, that as some of you mentioned, I was looking forward to seeing in September. Rest in Peace, Bill, and the Mackin's will be keeping you and your family in our thoughts and prayers. If I hadn't just had back surgery last week, I would seriously consider traveling out for the memorial service(s). My best to all!!

SEM

Susan Mackiewicz

Sorry I do not remember him from St. Monica's high school, however I had taken my mother to her doctors office where Mrs. Beebe was employed and she had the most beautiful picture of her son (bill junior) and his family. Remember where there is sorrow, there is also joy.  Where there is darkness, there is also light.  God welcomes everyone to his kingdom and I am sure we will see Bill there! Praise God and give glory to his name.  May Bill rest in peace and beauty.  Susan Mackiewicz

Cathy Newell (Vogt)

Billy will always be remembered as a wonderful person. This was very sad news. Does anyone know when the memorial is? Or, has this already occurred?

 Cathy Newell Vogt

Michael McGuirk

Bill Beebe

I would like to share my memories of Bill

While we weren’t close, I did have several memorable moments with Bill.

Bill was from St Jon of Arc and I was at St Marks during our 8^th grade year someone though it would be a good idea to play a supposedly flag football game at Mar Vista park. I’m not sure of the exact circumstances whether Bill was the quarterback, running back or receiver but in any event he had the ball and Paul Veix and I were chasing him. Paul for whatever reason instead of grabbing his flag thought it would much funnier to slam me into him, it wasn’t pretty and I was quite sure Bill was going to be very unhappy. Instead he got up and continued to play. On the other hand Paul I think is still rolling around on the grass laughing.

The next memory was in Sister Mary Margret’s 10^th grade biology class in the basement of the boys building. For whatever reason, she was late, probably praying for our souls. While the natives were getting restless Bill thought it would be a great idea to run around the room and turn on all the Bunsen burners. Given the little experience I had in construction I thought this was a real bad idea. I confronted Bill and wound up punching him. Before he got up Sister Mary Margret came back. We were both asked to remain after class and were sentenced to cleaning lab equipment.

Fast forward 30 years and perhaps because the good Sister didn’t pray hard enough both Bill and I were cursed with our sons wanting to play ice hockey. Besides Formula 1 and perhaps Dressage it’s the most expensive and time consuming sport in Southern California. Well there I was standing in the men’s restroom between periods and I look next to me and Pat McDonnell is not kidding, there was Bill the late bloomer all 7”8’ and all I could think of was I hope he doesn’t remember that biology class.

Well needless to say Bill was a complete gentleman and continued to be so.

Michael McGuirk

Sofiann Enrico (Langhorne)

Farewell, my friend. It was great staying in touch with you through the years, yet all too infrequently. I'm so happy you visited me when you visited Santa Barbara. I have many wonderful memories of you and will cherish each one. The last time we communicated we were both looking forward to the 50th reunion, I guess it wasn't meant to be. I did speak to your son, he said you went peacefully in your sleep, for that I'm grateful.  RIP. 

Naola Miller (Vershay)

Naola Miller (Vershay)

Dear Classmates:

I received the following information from my Association which is where Bill was living at the time of his untimely death.

The family advised the funeral mass for Bill Beebe starts at 1:30 PM (not 1:00 PM) at American Martyrs Catholic Church, 700 15^th Street, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.  Reception to Immediately Follow. 

The family has asked that, in liue of flowers, a donation be made in Bill's name to Don't Walk Alone and St. Sebastian Sports Project (links below).   

Don’t Walk Alone Foundation:

https://www.jrkingshockey.com/news_article/show/1055755

Donation Link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=YYMJ4W8Z49E3C

St. Sebastian Sports Project:

https://saintsebastianproject.org

Donation link: https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/1534524?fbclid=IwAR1eq7Rz3K306FZtqdcOQT4wEfXs4SBIC2BRpSCC301CylD_u4s2fA0NCsI