Walter Beahm, Class of 1951

Walter Beahm ’51 died Dec. 17, 2020. Walter was born in Midvale, Ohio on March 24, 1929 to the late Walter & Estelle Beahm. After high school, he graduated from Otterbein University in Westerville, OH in 1951 with a BS in Chemistry and was in the Zeta Phi (Zeta) fraternity. He went on to medical school at Ohio State University in Columbus, and earned his MD degree in Family Practice in 1955. He did an Internship at St. Rita’s Hospital, in Lima, OH 1955-1956.

Walter was a US Air Force Captain at the Armed Forces Examining Station in Knoxville, TN 1956-1958 and was a physician at the University of Tennessee Student Health Center 1958-1960. After starting his Family Practice on Kingston Pike in Bearden, he practiced family medicine (1960-1999) which included house calls, making hospital rounds, being on call for other doctors and receiving calls at all hours of the night, delivering babies, suturing cuts, cleaning abrasions after hours, and served his patients with a loving and giving heart. He never took off his stethoscope as he then volunteered at the Interfaith Health Clinic. He also volunteered at the Volunteer Ministry Center and Meals on Wheels.

Dr. Beahm was a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) from 1963-1999, Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians (Lifetime Member) and served as President 1978-1979, Tennessee Medical Association, Knoxville Academy of Medicine, and member of the West Knoxville Rotary Club (President 1968-1969), longtime member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan where he served on several ministries including serving on the Vestry through the years.

Walter was preceded in death by his wife, Jo Ann Beahm and brother Jack Beahm. He is survived by his 4 children, Megan Swaggerty (Bill), John Beahm (Lisa); Lisa Mandrell (Keith); David Beahm (Regina); 8 grandchildren: Emily Reynolds Dickinson (Peter), Wade Beahm, David Beahm, Walt Mandrell (Kelly), Burton Mandrell, Joseph Mandrell (Kathleen), Paige Beahm, Chad Beahm (Allison), and one Great grandchild: Blake Peter Dickinson. He is also survived by his sister, Sue McConkey and several nieces, nephews and cousins.