Lois Ann Black was born on November 25, 1925, at home in Preston, Iowa to Editor Edwin Black and Gertrude Mertens Black. Two siblings, Neal Francis and Mary Charlotte, later joined the family. She graduated in 1943 as valedictorian from Preston High School. Two weeks later she traveled to Washington, DC to work as a World War 2 “government girl” at the FBI. A year later she returned to Iowa to attend the University of Iowa where she graduated with a degree in Journalism.
In 1949, Lois met and married William E. Beach. They lived in Colorado where their children, Michael, Sara Ann, and Daniel were born. The family lived overseas in Bolivia, Chile, and Bangladesh for 6 years. After living in New Mexico for three years, they moved to College Station in 1966. During the 1970s, Lois worked as a technical editor at two university departments. She was active in her church and was a founding member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. She was a genealogist and wrote four family books. She was a Girl Scout leader, became a basket maker and enjoyed Aggie sports. During her later years she was an avid knitter of small dolls to be given by Sister Rosemary to the babies in orphanages in Uganda.
Lois was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, her son Ensign Michael Beach ’74, her parents, and siblings Neal Black and Mary Devine and their spouses Peg Black and Bob Devine.
She is survived by her daughter, Dr. Sally Beach and husband Leonard Lang of Blanchard, OK; her son Dan Beach of Ft. Collins, CO; grandson Bill Beach and wife Bonnie and their children Annie Marie and Wyatt Eugene of Ft. Collins, CO. She is also survived by granddaughter Desiree Gibbons, her two daughters, and four grandchildren. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, treasured friends, and beloved “Aggie sons and daughters”.
Lois was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church of Bryan, TX and Brazos Spinners and Weavers Guild. Visitation and rosary recitation will be held Monday, September 28th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Memorial Funeral Chapel, Bryan, TX. The funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday, September 29th at 9:30 am at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Bryan, TX. Interment will take place at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be sent to one of the following:
The Ensign Michael Beach ’74 Memorial Scholarship at the Association of Former Students, 505 George Bush Drive, College Station, TX 77840 OR Texas A&M Foundation, 401 George Bush Drive, College Station, Texas 77840. http://tx.ag/BeachMemorial
Gifts received will be applied to the William E. Beach Memorial Scholarship in Mechanical Agriculture account, 400-33174. Please designate gifts in Memory of Mrs. Lois Beach in the memo line of the check. To donate online, use the following link: http://give.am/WilliamEBeachMemorialScholarship . Please choose “this gift is a tribute to someone.”
