Capt. Kenneth C. Beachler

Ken is best known as creator and founding Executive Director of Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University (1981-1992). Under Ken’s leadership and guidance, Wharton Center thrived and became the centerpiece of the local arts community. Ken’s unwavering love and commitment to MSU, Wharton Center and the arts were endless. His special brand of eloquence graced theatre stages in numerous capacities as Ken remained active in the area arts programs throughout his entire life.

Ken was born October 11, 1935 in Battle Creek to Rollie and Kathryn (Eitelbus) Ochsenbein. His parents divorced when his father returned from service with the U. S. Navy in 1945. Five years later, Kathryn met and married Hugh Beachler. Together, they adopted Ken and his younger brother, Fred. Back then, he was known as Clark and is still affectionately known as “Uncle Clark” to his family today.

Ken first played the role of a drum major in Salute to the Service while in kindergarten in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, but his first lead role was in the title role of The Kitchen Clock while in 6th grade in Belding. In junior and senior high school, he had leads in two Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. He graduated from Belding High School in 1953 and shortly after moved to Chicago to study privately for a career in musical theatre. In addition to his career crowning role at Wharton Center, Ken was a very active and celebrated actor and director of theatre throughout the mid-Michigan area. He won several awards for his productions at BoarsHead Theatre, Opera Company of Mid-Michigan, MSU theatre, Lansing Community College, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Riverwalk Theatre, and Peppermint Creek.

Ken served as President of Lansing Rotary Club, and for decades after that, arranged for music to be presented at the club by local and visiting artists. He always remained a dedicated Rotarian throughout his life, exemplifying their foundational belief that people from diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful lifelong friendships. Ken’s engaging and magnetic personality made everyone he encountered feel valued.

Ken first moved to East Lansing as on-air talent for WKAR-FM in 1959 and graduated from Michigan State University in 1963 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Media Studies. It was during this time that local audiences came to appreciate his beautiful and transcendent speaking voice. Ken set up the classical musical broadcasting format at the station and hosted numerous programs including Arts Billboard and Classics by Request. He used that legendary voice to narrate hundreds of events across the local region and was known as the concert voice for the Lansing Concert Band and Lansing Concert Big Band.

Another important element of Ken’s life was his distinguished career in the military. The military draft influenced him at age 21 to enlist in the U. S. Army Signal Corps for a 6-year commitment, with two years active duty, mostly in Karlsruhe, Germany. He was affiliated with Special Services, producing and appearing in plays and soldier shows, while serving as a chapel organist in Colorado, Georgia and Germany. Throughout his military career, he served in the Army, Navy and Navy Reserve. He earned the rank of Captain in the Navy and proudly wore his dress whites while emceeing the July 4th concerts every summer at Adado Riverfront Park.

Ken completed a 7-year appointment as Vice Chair of the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, was Interim Executive Director of Lansing Symphony Orchestra, holds the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Thomas Jefferson Award for Journalism from the Department of Defense.

Ken’s friends and colleagues remember him for his classy and elegant appearance, his unrelenting support for the arts, his love for telling stories and mentoring one and all. His family adored him as the patriarch of the Beachler family, supportive and kind to everyone he met.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Hugh and Kathryn Beachler and his brother, Fredric Beachler. He is survived by his nieces and nephews Fredric (Susan), Phillip (Christine), Kathleen, Phyllis, Tony (Meredith), Tracy (Mark) and Stacy; sister-in-law Ruth Beachler; extended family Phyllis Eckman, Betsy (Jeremy) Tomkins, Dixie (RJ) Long and Al Eckman; dear friends David Brower, John Dale and Janine Novenske Smith and Don Graybiel; many great nieces and nephews as well as hundreds of long-time close colleagues, patrons of the arts, military associates, Rotarians and friends.

Public Celebration of Life visitations and services will be held at The Peoples Church, 200 West Grand River Ave, East Lansing. Visitations on Friday, June 23, 5:30 - 7:30 pm and Saturday, June 24, 10 - 11 am. The Celebration of Life service at The Peoples Church will be held June 24 at 11 am with a luncheon following at the University Club of Michigan State University. A private ceremony for Ken’s family will be held at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Battle Creek, where his remains will be interred. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Kenneth C. Beachler Arts Management Internship Fund, Wharton Center, 750 E. Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824. Ken established this internship fund to provide arts management students the opportunity to gain exposure in their chosen field. The legacy internship is intended to provide recipients with hands-on experience to prepare them for careers in this exciting and expanding profession.