Mandie Delaine Beam

It pains me to admit it, but apparently, I have passed away. Everyone told me it would happen one day but that’s simply not something I wanted to hear, much less experience! A big fat middle finger goes out to cancer that insisted on trying to steal my joy!

As usual, I didn’t get things my way, which of course, has been the story of my life.

While on that subject, the “story of my life”…

On May 12th, 1972, my parents celebrated my birth and I was introduced to the world as Mandie Delaine Menard, the daughter of Robert Lee Menard and Kathleen Louviere Brown, in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Years later, I was blessed with the privilege of becoming the big sister to Manny Scott and Darren Bo. As a child, I walked the halls of schools in Carencro, Louisiana and Kingwood, Texas where the seed was planted that eventually led me to becoming a teacher. I received my bachelor’s degree at Sam Houston State University and then proudly began my teaching career in 2003 at St. Pius Catholic School. I went on to teach at Timberwood Middle School, Hargrave Highschool and Baytown Junior. Some of my greatest joys came from impacting the lives of my students who just needed someone to stand in their corner and whisper, “you can do this”, when they believed otherwise.

On June 12th, 1999, I married the man of my dreams, and from that day on, I was proud to be Mrs. Charles Wayne Beam. I am blessed to be the mom of two beautiful girls, Morgan Taylor Walls and Laynee Colette Beam. Seeing these two grow into the amazing women they are, has brought a incredible sense of meaning to my life. These girls are treasures that are irreplaceable and will go with me wherever my journey takes me. Morgan and her husband, Drew, are also blessing me with my first grandchild later this year. Not only has this little man stolen my heart but has also spent most of my money from the moment I knew that I was going to a granny!

The memories I am taking with me now of my family, my friends and my students, are so precious and have more value than all of the gold and silver in my jewelry box.

So…I was born, I blinked and it was over. No buildings named after me, no monuments erected in my honor, but I DID have the chance to know and love the most wonderful family a girl could ever ask for and friends that I could not have done life without. How much more blessed could a girl be? I am so thankful that I was there to witness Manny’s wedding to Monica who blessed my life with my beautiful Sofia and my witty Sebastian. Then there’s my sweet nieces, Skii’Lynne and Sadie Menard. I was so privileged to have bonus parents when my dad married Patricia Menard and my mom married Steven Brown who also brought into our family, Josh Brown. Then I had my other bonus dad, KO Beam. So blessed!

My life on earth is over and I am dancing in the arms of Jesus and surrounded by the loved ones who have gone before me, my Grandfather’s Paul Louviere and Willis P. Menard; Grandmother, Edith B. Menard, Mother in laws, Rosemary Beam and Carolyn Beam.

In the end, remember….

Do your best, follow your arrow, be kind, be humble and live your best life!

You can look for me in the evening sunset, in the school hallways, on the dance floor or in an old western movie. You know I will be there in one form or another. Of course that will be comforting to some while antagonizing to others, but hey, you know me….it’s what I do!

I’ll leave you with this, please don’t cry because I’m gone; instead be happy that I was here.

Today, I am happy and I am dancing.

Probably naked.

I love you forever.

Mandie