DR. HARRY BEAMON
(1942-2006)
 

             ----GREETINGS, TO OUR BELOVED CAMERON FAMILY WHEREVER YOU MAY BE----

         It is with deep regret that we report the passing of Dr. Harry Beamon on Wednesday, August 30th 2006 after an extended illness.

         "Doc", as we affectionately called him, was the heart and soul of the CHAA. He was the one who communicated with you regularly about your alumni contact information or the person with whom you spoke when trying to get those tickets for the annual Blue and Gold Ball. He was our mentor and the glue that held us as an organization together. He wore a multitude of hats and carried out an enormous amount of responsibilities in and out of this organization. Doc was primarily the inspiration and motivator for the Cameron Alumni Room, the new Website and was our biggest cheerleader in everything that we attempted to do positively in the name of Cameron. He was my mentor and the reason why I, personally, became a member of the CHAA over two years ago. He will be greatly missed by us his extended family and also by his devoted personal family and many friends. He loved all of you his Cameron family almost as much as he adored his own. Let us continue to pray for his devoted wife, Sophia K. Beamon, children Kevin and Karya, mother Evelyn and many others.

          We present a brief biography of Doc below. The family has requested that In lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the O.R. Jackson Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 681 Nashville, TN 37228-0944 or TSU Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1106, Nashville, TN 37209. May God Bless you all!!

DR. HARRY BEAMON BIOGRAPHY

Harry Beamon was born in Nashville, TN on June 13, 1942. He was a 1960 graduate of Cameron High School and held the following degrees: Bachelor of Science (1969), Master of Arts in Education (1970), from Tennessee State University; Specialist in Education (1974), from George Peabody College for Teachers, and the Doctor of Education (1979), from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. He was Professor of Human Performance and Sports Science at Tennessee State University, having been employed there since August of 1980. He also served as Department Chair from 1985 to 1988.

        He was actively involved in basketball officiating, serving as Supervisor of Officials for the Middle Tennessee College Officials Association. Doc officiated for 31 years on the high school and college levels before retiring from the floor in 1991. He was the first black to officiate basketball in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 1972 and 1973. He has also worked extensively in training young officials through various camps and clinics. Dr. Beamon made many presentations at numerous national and regional conventions on the art of training officials. In March 2005, Doc was inducted into the Tennessee Secondary Sports Athletic Association (TSSAA) Hall of Fame.

       His academic accomplishments include: Author of Statistics Workbook in Tests and Measurements, numerous articles and presentations related to officiating, cognitive test making, and teaching strategies; Member of the Golden Key National Honor Society; the Phi Delta Kappa Educational Fraternity; Who’s Who in American Education for 1995; and one of the five finalists for Teacher of the Year at Tennessee State University for 1995, and HPSS Teacher of the Year 2002-03

       Dr. Beamon was a faithful member of Seay-Hubbard United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee serving on the Stewardship Committee, Staff, Parrish Relations Committee and as member of the Male Ensemble. Doc was a faithful member of the Pearl-Cameron choir as well -- singing in the bass section. He was actively involved with the Cameron High Alumni Association having served as President, Treasurer, and NewsLink Editor. Dr. Beamon was a Lifetime Member of the Cameron High Alumni Association and the Tennessee State University (local and national) Alumni Associations. In August 2003, he was selected Torch Award Recipient as Employer of the Year by the TSU Alumni Association. Click here to read poem tribute to Dr. Beamon by Fletcher Moon.

"Many Imitate But None Can Duplicate"

Donald L. Johnson '71
Alumni Historian