Vernon Edward Beall of Clintonville, WI entered eternal rest on Saturday, July 18, 2020 surrounded by the love of his family. He was born in Cumberland, MD August 27,1927, the son of the late Dr. William Ward and Bertha Ann Beall. He was the youngest of seven children and two half-brothers who all preceded him in death. He was the husband of Sarah Maxine Beall for 67 years and proud father of Diane Marie; Rev. Julia Ann; Vernon E. Jr.; David W.; and Cynthia (Cindy) Wandtke. He has 14 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, whom he loved to entertain with stories, music and being the greatest Grandpop.
He graduated from Adjutant General’s College, U.S. Army; Potomac State College, University of West Virginia, and University of Virginia. He served in Patton’s 3rd Army, 29th Division in Germany during WWII. He served as Westinghouse Credit Corp’s first Credit Manager, and Motorola Baltimore’s wholesale credit mgr. He worked for Fidelity Trust in Baltimore before starting the first credit department for Union National Bank, Westminster, Md., and served as vice president for 20 years. He went on to form Silver Run Poultry and continued to lend his banking skills to banks in crisis, finally retiring as Credit and Collections Manager of Dresser Pump.
Beall was active in his community serving in the Jaycees, as Charter President of Charles Carroll Lion’s Club; county chairmen of Heart Fund; Easter Seals, and Crippled Children. He was a 32 degree Mason and a Shriner. He served several years as County Chairman of U. S. Treasury’s Savings Bond program where he received numerous Treasury Citations and Awards including the Silver Medallion and Liberty Bell. Under his leadership Carroll County had Maryland’s most successful vaccination program for the national Mass Polio Vaccine Campaign.
Beall chaired the building of Union Memorial Baptist Church for a Black congregation when their church collapsed. The story was published in his book, The Church God Built. He authored 13 books and was working on others at the time of his death.
His family and friends remember that he loved people and made helping them his life’s purpose. As a banker specializing in small business loans he helped shape a community. As a Little League coach, he took his team to the playoffs by giving every player equal time on the field. He had a deep faith, taught Sunday School, and served on countless church boards and committees, with special focus on committees serving the needy. Vernon adopted families for Christmas, left groceries on porches for families who never knew the giver, organized a community talent show that raised enough money to install indoor plumbing for an entire African American community and began Project Hope in Westminster, MD, that renovated a house at a time for disadvantaged families. In his 80s, Vernon started a program in Clintonville to restore old bikes to give away to needy children and adults. As this grew beyond his garage, others joined and continued this project. Vernon believed, preached, and lived that anyone can do ministry.
Vernon loved music, singing as tenor, and could play most any instrument, but is best known for the piano and accordion. He loved any animal he met and all things outdoors, enjoying fishing, hunting, boating, and in his later years, sitting in his backyard watching the birds and enjoying his wife’s gardening. He always had a story to tell, a lesson to teach, and a prank to pull, but more than anything, he loved his family.
A brief service of remembrance will be hosted by Congregational UCC, Clintonville, WI on Monday, July 20, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. His interment will be at a later time at his home church in Silver Run, MD.
The Eberhardt-Stevenson Funeral Home & Crematory, Clintonville is assisting the family.
An online guestbook is available at eberhardtstevenson.com.