Dr. F.M. Max Beam

Francis Max Beam, 95, of Washington, KS, died April 16, 2021 at the Washington County Hospital. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, April 22 at Ward Funeral Home in Washington. Visitation will be from noon until service time. Burial will be in the Washington City Cemetery. Max was born September 24, 1925, to John and Stella Beam on a farm in Jewell County, KS. Everything was done with horses, and Max loved horses all his life. He graduated from Mankato High School, where he played football and ran track. World War II had started, and he enlisted in the Navy as soon as he had graduated. He was 17. In the Navy he served as a tail gunner on planes that flew off an aircraft carrier. He was in the South Pacific. Missions were always dangerous, and he was happy to get home when the war ended. Max attended Kansas State Agricultural College, now Kansas State University, with the help of the GI bill. He went to Vet School and graduated in 1951. Upon graduation he started a veterinary practice in Washington, KS. Veterinary practice at that time meant driving to small farms and treating sick animals, working cattle in chutes to dehorn and vaccinate, and occasionally treating small animals at the office. He also was the veterinarian at the local sale barn which sold hogs and cattle each week. At one of the hog sales, he vaccinated 795 hogs in one day. Max valued his association with the vets who have been at the Washington Veterinary Clinic through the years; Drs. Jim Smart, Ned Eib, Bob Randall, Bill Bryant, Dale Heisterman, Tom Dragastin, Pete Sherlock, Kenney Johnson, and Garrett Stewart. Max was able to live in his home until a month ago because these men checked on him daily. They, and their wives, made sure he had something to eat, and drink, and they shared time with him. He valued their friendship and loved telling them stories about wild things that happened when he went out on calls. They truly enriched his life and took care of him. He often said that the vet clinic was his legacy. Max served his community in various ways. He was a member of Rotary, City Council, Fair Board President, Board of Directors for the First National Bank, the local saddle club, and a 4-H project leader for the horse project. He also served as a trustee for the KSU Foundation. One of the most enjoyable hobbies he developed was with cutting horses. Cutting competitions were relatively new in Kansas and Max helped grow the organization. He was a board member and president of the Kansas Cutting Horse Association, board member of the National Cutting Horse Association, and was honored in Kansas as one of the "Legends of Cutting" by the Kansas organization. He had many good horses through the years and enjoyed the friendships of the other cutters. Doc married his high school sweetheart, Gerry McCall. They had one daughter, Marilyn. He later married Virginia Eddleman, so then had two stepdaughters, Mary Sawin and Geraldine Gibbs. He leaves these three girls and their husbands, Lonnie and Meyler; 7 grandchildren; and 12 great grandchildren. A memorial fund has been established to KSDS for veterinary expenses for graduate teams. Contributions may be sent in care of Ward Funeral Home. Link to video of Dr. Beam's funeral service To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Dr. F.M. Max Beam, please visit our flower store.