BEAHAM, Thomas Graham, III

Thomas Graham Beaham III, 69, died on September 3, 2007 after a valiant three-year battle with cancer. Tom was born July 2, 1938 in Tucson to a Territorial daughter of Arizona, Virginia (Ruthrauff) Beaham and a Kansas City cowman, Thomas G. Beaham II. Tom spent his formative years at the family's XX Ranch near Benson, Arizona. He graduated from Tucson High School in the class of 1956 that numbered near 1000 students. He earned a BS degree in Agriculture from the University of Arizona, graduating with honors in 1960. He worked as a rancher and a wine grape grower near Kansas Settlement. For over 25 years he was involved in commercial real estate until he retired in 2004. Tom's community interests included Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, serving as President of the House Corporation and the Tucson Phi Delta Theta Scholarship Foundation. His fraternity established a national scholarship in Tom's name in honor of 50 years service to the fraternity. His other affiliations included Ducks Unlimited, for whom he served as Arizona State Trustee Emeritus and on the Arizona State Council, the University of Arizona's Foundation, Wildcat Club and Alumni Association. He was a past member of Arizona Cattle Growers Association and Arizona Wine Growers Association. Tom was a member of the vestry at St. Albans Episcopal Church where his interests centered in community outreach. On June 10, 1956, Tom met Gaeel Morrison, his future wife, the night of the Elvis Presley concert at the old Rodeo grounds. They were married in Tucson in 1960. He shared his passion for life with his beloved wife, Gaeel, and their three children, Thomas, Patrick (Karyn) and Margaret (Randall), to whom he was absolutely devoted. Tom was widely respected for his spirituality, curiosity, dedication to detail, moral compass and an extraordinary capacity for enriching the lives of countless friends and relatives. He was an accomplished outdoors man, enjoying fishing, hunting, bird dog training and nurturing nature and traveling in pursuit of those challenges. He had an insatiable interest in the protection of wetlands and arid lands and the conservation of the Sonoran Desert. Together with his wife and children, Tom is also survived by his four grandchildren, Nicholas, Tyndall Rose, Grayson and Emma along with his sister, Shirley B. Moore, his aunt, Betty Ruthrauff Krohn, and numerous in-laws, nephews, nieces and cousins. His generous spirit, open ear and beautiful wry smile will be greatly missed by everyone. Tom's illness brought out his best qualities: his remarkable strength, compassion and gentleness. He enriched the lives of his extended circle of family and friends including the compassionate and gifted professionals of Tucson Medical Center Hospice. Memorial services in celebration of Tom's life will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, September 29, 2007 at St. Alban's Episcopal Church located on the west side of Sabino Canyon between River and Kolb. A reception will follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to The Community Foundation of Southern Arizona Beaham Youth Fund, 2250 E. Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85719; or Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson, PO Box 40217, Tucson, AZ 85717. Published - Arizona Daily Star 2007