Walter L. (Dub) Beasley Jr., third generation monument man, World War II veteran, and local historian died peacefully at home on June 8, 2006. He retired in 1998 after over 58 years of designing and selling monuments for Beasley Monument Company, founded by his grandfather in 1879.

Beasley Monument Company was responsible for the many notable memorials including those for Irvin S. Cobb, Vice-President Alben Barkley and the World War I monument in Oak Grove Cemetery. Walter Beasley was active and instrumental in the design and placement of the monument for D.H. Anderson at the West Kentucky Community and Technical School, Eagle Monument on Jefferson Street and the Time Capsule in front of the fire station on Jackson Street. He was responsible for locating and preserving the columns from the Immanuel Baptist Church, once located on 10th Street that are now the backdrop for the stage at the new Noble Park Amphitheater. He designed and donated the monument for Charles Richter, who developed the scale for measuring earthquakes, in Pasadena, CA.

In 1999, at age 82, Mr. Beasley authored the book "The Bottom Line, On Tombstones, That Is." The book is a collection of interesting epitaphs from cemeteries in Western Kentucky.

In 1942, Mr. Beasley joined the Army Air Corps. He flew a C-47 cargo plane and transported cargo and personnel from New Guinea to the Philippines. He was honorably discharged having achieved the rank of major. He served in the Reserves for 20 years.

Mr. Beasley was a member of the Broadway Church of Christ. He was a past president of Kentucky Monument Builders Association. He was a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Order of First Families of Virginia, Huguenot Society, Jamestown Society, and Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters. He was conferred the honors of Kentucky Colonel and Duke of Paducah.

Mr. Beasley is survived by his wife of 55 years, Jessie (Hibbitts) Beasley. Two daughters: Jennifer Beasley Whitfield of Nashville, TN, and Rebecca Meade Beasley of San Marino, Calif. Two grandchildren, Katherine Meade Whitfield and Thomas Tyree Whitfield, both of Nashville, TN, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter L. Beasley Sr. and Jennie Tyree Beasley, 1 sister and 2 brothers.

Visitation will be after 12:30 p.m. Sunday, June 11, 2006, at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah with the funeral at 2:00 p.m. Dan Owen will officiate. Burial will take place in Maplelawn Park Cemetery after the funeral services. Expressions of sympathy may be given to the Broadway Church of Christ Living Stones, 2855 Broadway Street, Paducah, KY 42001. Loving tributes may be left online at www.milnerandorr.com.

The Paducah Sun - June 11, 2006