Death Claims Prominent Businessman

Funeral services for Fisher Jones Beasley Sr., 69, partner and manager of the Beasley-Cross Chevrolet Company on Oak Avenue, will be conducted Wednesday at 11 a.m., at Concord's Central Methodist Church.

The Rev. Roy E. Bell, pastor, will officiate. The body will remain at Wilkinson's in Concord until time for the rites. The family will be at the home, 911 Martin Drive, Concord.

Mr. Beasley died at noon Monday at Cabarrus Memorial Hospital. His death was unexpected, although he had been ill nearly a month.

As late as 11 a.m., Monday, Mr. Beasley appeared to be getting along nicely, relatives said. Within an hour, his condition became grave, and efforts to revive him failed.

Mr. Beasley joined his brother in-law, Dwight Cross of Huntersville, in forming the Beasley-Cross Chevrolet company in Kannapolis in 1944, and managed the agency through the years. The Beasley-Cross Chevrolet company will be closed Wednesday out of respect for Mr. Beasley.

Just before entering business in Kannapolis Mr. Beasley was associated with the Bureau of Economic Warfare during World War II. His earlier business experiences were with a bank in Raleigh and with American Agriculture Chemical Company, which he served as credit manager.

During his years in Cabarrus, Mr. Beasley's main community interest was Central Methodist Church in Concord. He was a member of the board of stewards.

Son of the late Joseph Beasley and Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Jones Beasley, Mr. Beasley was a native of Lousiburg. He was graduated from High school there and later took a business course.

Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Rilla Fuller Beasley; three daughters, Mrs. Bernard Paterson of Belvue, Kanasas, and Mrs. Thomas A. Simpson and Mrs. Thomas L. Ross of Concord; two sons, Fisher Jones Beasley Jr., of Kannapolis, Robert F. Beasley of Baltimore, Md; two sisters Mrs. T. Max Watson of Forest City and Mrs. Dwight S. Cross of Huntersville; five brothers, W.L. Beasley of Winston Salem, John Young Beasley, Joe Ben Beasley, Cranford Beasley and Robert Beasley of Louisburg; 25 grandchildren.