Obituary of Betty Cleveland Bean

Betty Lee Cleveland Bean, long time Lynchburg resident, died Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at Lynchburg General Hospital of complications from pneumonia. She was 86. Betty Lee Cleveland was born on August 21, 1923 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the middle of five children. She attended the Hillsdale School for Girls in Cincinnati and graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. On October 14, 1943, she married George Martin Bean, a Chaplin in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1946. Their first child, Elizabeth Tracy Bean (now Kenny) was born in February 1945. The Beans moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1947 when George Bean became chaplain at Lehigh University. There, Betty Lee Bean was a member of the Junior League, served on many boards and worked at the local hospital as a volunteer. Their second daughter, Lee Randolph Bean, was born in Bethlehem in August 1948. The family moved to Richmond, Virginia when George Bean became rector of St. Mark?s Episcopal Church. The Beans? third child, William Cleveland, was born there in February 1954. In May of that year, Rev. Bean was named chaplain of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, appointed by President Eisenhower. While at West Point from 1954 - 1959, Mrs. Bean worked as a ?Grey Lady? the name given to American Red Cross volunteers at the Post Hospital. She served on the board of the Junior League of Newburgh, New York. She became well known at West Point for two things: hospitality and golf. Chaplain and Mrs. Bean entertained small groups of freshman cadets, or ?plebes?, every Sunday afternoon, serving home-made sandwiches, pastries and ?transfusions? - ginger ale and grape juice - to get to know the new cadets on an individual basis. Their personal connection to the Classes of 1958 and 1959 resulted in Chaplain Bean being named an honorary member of both classes, a distinction awarded to very few civilians. Chaplain Bean officiated at numerous Cadet Chapel weddings, and Mrs. Bean hosted a number of wedding receptions for close cadet friends and their new wives. On the golf course, Mrs. Bean won many golf tournaments while at West Point, and still holds the record for lowest score by a woman at the old West Point course. In 1957, Betty Lee and George Bean were invited to be guest of the Queen of England, where he preached at Westminster Abbey Cathedral and at the Military Academy of Great Britain, Sandhurst. The Beans then headed north to Scotland, where they played golf at the old course at St. Andrew?s. The Bean family left West Point in 1959 and moved to Montclair, New Jersey, where George Bean became rector of St. Luke?s Episcopal Church. He served in that position for ten years. While in Montclair, Betty Lee Bean was active in Altar Guild, The Junior League and the volunteer group at Mountainside Hospital. She also played on the golf team at Montclair Golf Club, which competed in the Metropolitan Golf Association and won numerous titles. In 1970, Betty Lee and George Bean moved to Lynchburg, Virginia where he served as rector of St. John?s Episcopal Church until he retired in 1983. During her years in Lynchburg, Mrs. Bean served on the Altar Guild at St. John?s and in the Junior League of Lynchburg. She gave many years of volunteer service to the Virginia Baptist Hospital, where she served as President of their Auxiliary from 1980 - 1984. She served on the Virginia State Board of Hospital Auxiliaries for two years. Betty Lee Bean?s enthusiasm for golf continued in Lynchburg. She played on both the Oakwood and Boonsboro women?s golf teams, and served as captain for several years. After retiring from the ministry, the Beans traveled to Kenya, Hawaii and many locations throughout the United States. They spent a month each winter at the Surf Club in Marco Island, Florida. George Bean died on January 31, 2004. Betty Lee Bean is survived by three children: Tracy Bean Kenny, Randy Bean and Bill Bean. Five grandchildren, Elizabeth Randolph Kenny (Stein), Erin Ramsey Kenny, Rebecca Leann Bean, Suzanna Lynn Bean (Hyle), and William George Isaac Bean. Four great grandchildren, Marlena Gracie Stein, Ava Mae Hyle, Thomas Frederick Stein and Tanner George Stein. Private family services are pending. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Sunshine House at Centra, 1333 Oak Lane, Lynchburg, VA. 24503, to the attention of Sharee Coates. Sunshine House is the child care center at Virginia Baptist Hospital that Betty Lee Bean helped to create.