VOLANT, FL. William Thomas Beatty Sr., 79, of Volant and Clearwater, Fla., and formerly of Slippery Rock, passed away Sunday, April 27, 2014, in Clearwater. He was born Sept. 27, 1934, in Slippery Rock, to Frank Sedwick Beatty and Margaret Iona Steele Beatty. He married Audrey Price Beatty on July 11, 2003. She survives at the residence. He was previously married to Katherine Gates Beatty on Aug. 15, 1959. She preceded him in death on Oct. 24, 2001. He graduated from Slippery Rock High School in 1952 and Slippery Rock State Teachers College in 1956, and went on to earn two masters degrees. He went to the military after college and retired as a full colonel of the Army Reserve. He was a high school administrator and started the football program at Slippery Rock High School. He was the school's first coach. He organized the first midget football program. He was an outstanding basketball player in his youth and was inducted into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame, the Slippery Rock University Sports Hall of Fame and the Slippery Rock High School Sports Hall of Fame. He was a member of Slippery Rock United Methodist Church. He was a member and past master of Grove City F&AM Lodge 603, and was a member of Order of Eastern Star 110. He was a member of the Slippery Rock Good Fellows and Ridgeway Elks.
Survivors include his wife, Audrey, of Volant; a daughter, Barbara K. Pink of Slippery Rock; three sons, William T. Beatty Jr. and his wife, Peggy, of Grove City, Steve E. Beatty of Slippery Rock and Joseph A. Beatty and his wife, Sara, of Slippery Rock; a stepson, Donald R. Smith of Volant; two stepdaughters, Rae Lynn Smith of New Wilmington and Lea Ann Kuth of Harmony; a sister, I. Claire Barron and her husband, John, of Slippery Rock; 10 grandchildren; six stepgrandchildren; a great-grandson; and six stepgreat-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife; and a son-in-law, Gary Pink.
The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 3, and from 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at the Smith Funeral Home, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock. A Masonic service will be observed Saturday evening. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home with the Rev. Keith McIlwain, pastor of the Slippery Rock United Methodist Church, presiding. Military honors will be observed following the service Sunday at Slippery Rock Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Kidney Association.
John Koshan shared this on Bill's military career:
Bill was commissioned via the Pennsylvania National Guard OCS program. Can't tell you how many conversations we had about this and how many friends he had in the guard. I met him when we were both Captains in the 475th QM Group in Farrell. Bill was a logistics officer. He became the S4 for the Group and eventually the Group Commander. He also was a Battalion commander, commanding the 402nd QM Operating Bn in Farrell, Pa. Bill was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Staff (DSLOG) for Logistics for the 99th Reserve Command in Pittsburgh,PA and then was appointed commander of the 443rd Depot, another unit of the 99th Reserve Command. He served in this capacity until he retired.
John was a life member of MOAA and joined the MSVC Chapter two years ago.