William Arthur Beebe II

Lt. Col. William Arthur Beebe II USMC, (Ret)October 26, 1943-January 1, 2026 Lt. Col. William Arthur "Wild Bill" Beebe II USMC, (Ret) passed away on January 1,2026. Renowned for his infectious laugh and sense of humor, he was a man of many hats: son, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin, friend, military pilot, sailor, angler, hunter, history buff and a collector of artifacts, coins, rocks, and plants. He was a generous friend, gave thoughtful gifts and loved animals. His homemade muscadine wine is a story of legend. He charmed with his tales of travel, inevitable shenanigans, the occasional mishaps, and his personal motto "You can't take it with you." After retirement from the military, he moved to Ashville, Alabama where he enjoyed his life on Canoe Creek. A few years later he purchased a 27-foot sailboat, christened it "The Purple Fox" (from his Vietnam squadron HMM-364, The Purple Foxes) and lived aboard it at Bayou Grande Marina in Pensacola for seven years. Beebe and his friends sailed to various locales including Key West, the Dry Tortugas and Cuba. He was also a serious man, strong on integrity and could disconcert the toughest individuals with a single stare. Beebe was born in New Orleans, the third child of William Arthur Beebe and Lillie Mae Jordon Beebe. He graduated from West Marion High School in 1961 and received a bachelor's in political science from Mississippi State University in 1966. Beebe entered the United States Marine Corps and completed flight training at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. He was a CH-46 pilot during Vietnam and served in Beirut, Panama, and as the Director of the Marine Corps Air-Ground Museum at Quantico. Beebe received the following awards from his 22 years in the USMC: the Silver Star Medal for service in Vietnam; the Distinguished Flying Cross with three Gold Stars for service in Vietnam; the Air Medal with Bronze Numeral "37"; the Combat Action Ribbon; the Navy Unit Commendation with ribbon bar and two Bronze stars awarded Marine Aircraft Group 16; the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal; the Lebanon National Defense Service Medal; the Vietnam Service Medal with four Bronze stars; the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with three Bronze stars; the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Civil Actions color, 1 st Class); and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Beebe is survived by his four children: Mara Beebe (Tom Abernathy; grandchildren Anna (Capt. Steven Jones), Joel, and Ben; Pam Beebe-Howard (Rob Howard; granddaughter Avery); William A. Beebe III (Nicole Beason); and David Beebe (Celeste Beebe; granddaughter Reese); great-grandson Andrew Shane Howard; his brother Patrick Beebe (Barbara Beebe) and beloved niece, nephews, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents William Arthur Beebe and Lillie Mae Jordan Beebe; two sisters: Willie Mae Beebe Klaus and Joan Beebe Baggett; ex-wife Sharon Odom Beebe; and grandson Taylor Avent Howard. A memorial service will be held at Kilgroe Funeral Home in Pell City, Al on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 2pm with visitation from 1-2pm. He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.