Theodore Beach

CHAMPAIGN - Theodore (Ted) Charton Beach, 94, joined his beloved Shirlie, other family members and friends in God's kingdom on Feb. 20, 2024.

He was born April 26, 1929, in Champaign, the son of Frank H. and Blanche Stipp Beach. Ted lived his entire life in Champaign except for two years (1951-1953) of service in the United States Air Force when he was stationed at Kirtland AFB,  Albuquerque, N.M. He married his high school sweetheart, Shirlie McIlvain, Dec. 23, 1950, at the First United Methodist Church in Champaign. Shirlie passed away Dec. 16, 2017, after nearly 67 years of marriage.  Ted was educated in local schools graduating from Champaign High School in 1947. He received a B.S. degree in Physical Education from the University of Illinois in June 1951. While attending the UI, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity as well as two honorary groups, Phi Eta Sigma and Sachem, and the Tribe of Illini, the Varsity I lettermen's club. He received a commission in the Air Force through the ROTC program at the UI and completed his tour of duty in the USAF in April, 1953. He and Shirlie then returned to Champaign with their baby daughter.

Ted began a 41 year career at Collegiate Cap and Gown in Champaign in June 1953 as a sales correspondent and retired there in Dec. 1994 as Vice President of Sale/Marketing. Over his lifetime, Ted was active in church and community affairs. He was a member of University Place Christian Church as a youth and when he married Shirlie, he joined her at the First United Methodist Church. He served on various committees over his long membership and also served as an usher. He was a lifetime member of the UI Alumni Association and a member of the president's council. He was a 50 year member of the Champaign-Urbana Noon Kiwanis Club and served as president in 1971-72. Ted also was a member and past president of three other organizations - Champaign High School "C" Club, UI Varsity I Association and the UI Rebounders group. He was a past member of the Champaign Country Club.

Mr. Beach was well known in the area for his basketball career at both Champaign High School and the UI. He was unique in that he played for the same coach, the legendary Harry Combes, in both high school and college. During Ted's three years at CHS, the team won 106 games and lost only seven. They did not lose a home game in three seasons and tied a record by playing in three consecutive state title games at Huff Gym. Champaign High won its only state basketball title in 1946 and finished second in 1945 and 1947. Ted set the state tournament career scoring record that lasted 30 years. He also set the CHS career scoring record until it was broken by Clyde Turner in 1969. He was selected to the first team All-State both his junior and senior years by the News-Gazette and the Chicago Daily News. Ted was selected as one of the "100 Legends of IHSA Basketball"  in 2007, the 100th anniversary of the IHSA tournament. He is a member of the CHS Athletic Hall of Fame, the Illinois High School Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the Illinois High School Hall of Fame and Museum. 

At the UI, Ted was a member of two Big 10 champion and Final Four teams in 1949 and 1951. In 1951, he was one of the first players called "the sixth man", coming off the bench early in games. In this role, he was the second leading scorer on the team that finished third in the NCAA tournament. His final two games were against two coaching legends, Adolph Rupp of Kentucky and Henry Iba of Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State).

Ted followed in his Dad's (Frank) footsteps by serving as a bench official at UI basketball games for 50 years. He was the head timer for 40 years and then served as host for the game officials for ten seasons before retiring in 2014. Frank worked at the bench 1934-1966 and Ted 1964-2014, so for 80 years one of the family was on the scene working at UI basketball games.

After his retirement, Ted and Shirlie did some travelling, mostly to visit their son and family in Ft. Worth. Besides his family activities, Ted's primary interest has been playing golf with his Brookhill Buddies in Rantoul. This jovial group of retirees enjoyed each other's company and the joy of friendly competition on the course. Ted was proud of his first, and only, hole-in-one at Brookhill in 2011. Also, he was able to shoot his age starting when he was 72 and only missed doing it one year since then. He was very proud of shooting a 75 in 2014, which was ten strokes under his age.

Yet, with all of Ted's sports interests and participation, by far the biggest joy of his long life was his beautiful family. He and Shirlie were truly blessed with children, Marybeth (Jim) Eads, Andy (Elizabeth) Beach, Becky Beach (Amy Curry) and Barb Hiser. There are six grandchildren, Amanda (Martin) McFarlane, Andrew (Christine) Eads, twins, Meghann (Jeremy Wemer) and Matt (Janet) Hiser, Caroline Beach and Thomas (Sara) Beach. In recent years, they welcomed  "greats", Alba, Kean and Skye McFarlane, Mirrah Hiser, Caden Frailey and Orla Eads, and there is one more on the way. 

Celebration of life will be at First United Methodist Church of Champaign at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorials for Ted may be sent to First United Methodist Church in Champaign, the Lou & Mary Henson Scholarship Fund or a charity of the donor's choice. Condolences may be offered at morganmemorialhome.com.