Donald Guy Beem, 80 of Silver City entered eternal rest Monday, March 23 at his residence. He was born June 5, 1939 in Climbing Hill, Iowa to Earnest L. Beem and Lois Boyer Beem. His parents moved the family to Edgemont, S.D. at the end of World War II to open a “Coast to Coast” hardware store. Don was there in time to start First Grade. He started helping his father at the store even before he could reach the cash register. He learned how to fix all kinds of things & when he was in the sixth grade he repaired a neighbor girl’s bicycle for a quarter. That girl was Lawana who was a year behind him in school. They started dating just five years later. Don’s first model train was an American Flyer that his parents bought him when he was a junior in high school. He graduated in 1958 and majored in Business Administration at Chadron, Nebraska.
He and Lawana married in 1961 while both were going to college. They moved right after graduation to work with Lawana’s father in Lordsburg & then to Las Cruces to work for an office supply business for five years. His bosses bought the Western Stationers store in 1968 & made Don the manager. By then they had two young sons & were happy to move to the smaller town. One month old Tami was adopted the next spring. Don and Lawana bought the business in 1974 and worked together for 34 years. They expanded into copy machines, hobbies & crafts, picture framing, Hallmark cards, and gifts. Don sold model trains as well as other hobby items. He dug a basement under their house so that he could set up his large train layout. Old-timers may remember the model train that ran inside the store for the enjoyment of young and old. When he got interested in larger trains to ride on, he set up a circle of track in the parking lot & gave rides. Don was a member of the Kiwanis club for 45 years, the Grant County community Concert Association, the Prostate Cancer Survivor’s group, and the Methodist Church. He and Lawana were members of the local square dance clubs and danced for most of their married years. He gave programs about the history of the Railroad to several groups. He retired in 2008 and the past few years had been selecting trains to display at the museum in the Old Hurley Store. He volunteered there until shortly before his death. He was handy and remodeled the houses they lived in.
He is survived by his wife, Lawana Beem, two sons, Kevin G. (Marie) of Rio Rancho, David L. (Gabriella) of Silver City, seven grandchildren, Bryan Beem, Ashley Torres, Vinny Contreras, Dustin Martinez, Gabby Dietz (Joe), Danny Tirado, Luz Angelica Tirado, and two great-grandchildren, Melody and Charlie Dietz, one brother, Lee E. Beem (Angie) of Emmetsburg, Iowa, brother-in-laws Clyde Weckwerth of Farmington, New Mexico and Myron Weckwerth of Silver City, and numerous nephews & nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents and his daughter, Tami Torres Martinez. Cremation has already taken place and a Celebration of Life for Don will be held at Terrazas Funeral Chapel on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 2:00 p.m. Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels and Crematory “Trusted care for the ones you love” ~ 575-537-0777. To send condolences, visit www.terrazasfuneralchapel.com.