Ann Cullins Beam

Born in Memphis, Tennessee on October 19, 1923, Ann was the daughter of Edward and Lucile Cullins. She graduated from Central High School in Memphis in 1941 and went to Randolph Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia. After her first year, Ann transferred to the University of Alabama where she graduated in 1945 with a B.S. degree in Chemistry. Ann joined the Alpha Delta Pi sorority and enjoyed keeping up with the sisters in later reunions.

Following graduation, Ann worked for two years in the Research and Development Laboratory at Standard Oil of New Jersey in Linden, New Jersey. Returning to Memphis, Ann worked for three years at the Malarias Research Lab for the U. S. Public Health Services. In 1948 she married Robert Shelton Beam and moved to Raleigh in 1950 following Bob’s graduation from dental school.

Her first child, Brett, was born in Raleigh in 1950. Later, while living in Sanford, NC, Ann had two more children, Betty and Mary Ann. The family returned to Raleigh in 1958 where Ann began working for the North Carolina Department of Hygiene in the chemistry lab. In 1961 she began her distinguished career with the U. S. Geological Survey in the Water Resources Division.

In 1974 Ann was transferred from Raleigh to the National Water Quality Lab in Atlanta, Georgia, and from there was promoted as a management assistant to the Southeastern Regional Chief Hydrologist in Atlanta. In 1980 she was again promoted to the position of Assistant District Chief of Florida for the U.S.G.S. in Tallahassee, Florida. Following her retirement from the U.S.G.S in 1985, Ann became a realtor working for Town and Country and Century 21 real estate agencies in Tallahassee where she enjoyed several years of her favorite hobby, fishing. When she returned to Raleigh in 1988 to be closer to her family, Ann continued her real estate career with Fonville Morisey for another five years.

Ann Beam lived life with gusto. She was always so outgoing, friendly, and energetic. Her great sense of humor and her infectious, hearty laugh would always make people laugh with her. While in college in the ’40’s, she secretly used her spending money to take flying lessons. Ahead of her times, Ann translated her degree in Chemistry into a career with the U. S. Geological Survey. She bought a boat and loved to go fishing whenever should could. Ann always loved to travel and was able to travel frequently after her retirement to places like New Zealand, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands with the Raleigh Friendship Force.

Ann was a loving, devoted mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who was always ready to help, babysit, be at family festivities and celebrations, and provide wisdom and guidance for her family. She was an active member of White Memorial Presbyterian Church, the Woman’s Club of Raleigh, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, and the Caswell Nash DAR. Always anxious to help, Ann volunteered at Rex Hospital and was a docent at the Joel Lane House.

Ann is survived by her son, David Brett Beam, and his wife, Susan, and their four children, Stephen, Jonathan, Lauren, and Cameron; her daughter, Betty Palmerton, and husband Jeff and their daughter, Hannah; and Mary Ann Crenshaw, and her husband Herb and their four children, Chris, Richard, Cari Crawford, and Kristin Beal. A proud great grandmother, Ann is also survived by her great grandchildren, Wilson and Brooke Crawford, Kinsley Beal, Connor Crenshaw, Harrison and Bennett Crenshaw, Rachel and Zoey Beam, and Alice, David, and Wells Beam. She is also survived by her sister, Jane Cullins Sanderson in Memphis; her nieces, Laura Healy, Lisa Sanderson, and Coral Edwards in California; and nephew, Dick Stone, in Washington.

There was a memorial service for Ann, Friday, March 22, in the auditorium at Springmoor Life Retirement Center.

The family expresses its deep appreciation for all the wonderful people in the Stewart Health Center who took care of Ann. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to White Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, NC, The Crossnore School in Crossnore, NC, St. Jude’s Children Hospital in Memphis, TN, or the Springmoor Endowment Fund in Raleigh, NC.

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