at St. Paul’s
dies in Texas

BIRMINGHAM — The Rey.
Charles J. Beynon Jr., 77, of Birm-
ingham, formerly a pastor in Mon-
Toe and Flat Rock churches, died
of pneumonia Saturday at Memor-
ial Hospital, Houston, Texas, fol-
lowing a long illness.

Friends may call from 3 to 5 and
7 to 9 p.m. today at the Bell
cup of the William R. Hamil-
ton Co., 820 E. Maple, Birming-
ham. Services will be held at fi
a.m. Wednesday at the First Unit-
ed Methodist Church, 1589 W.
Maple Rd., Birmingham, with the
Rev. Robert P. Ward, pastor emer-
itus, officiating.

Born in Oct. 13, 1918, in
Kearny, N.J., Rev. Beynon had
married the former Loujane Hey-
stock in Flint in 1946. She pre-
ceded him in death on Sept. 24. A
Birmingham resident for 13 years,
he previously had lived in Farm-
ington and in Detroit.

Rev. Beynon had served as a
pastor for 45 years, including at 11
different Methodist churches.

After attending college and the
seminary, his first assignment was
a two-church circuit in a rural area
of central New Jersey. At Flat
Rock, he was the senior pastor
from 1956-62. In Monroe, he
served as senior pastor of St.
Paul’s United Methodist Church
from 1962-66.

While in Monroe, Rev. Beynon
had been involved in a variety of
community activities in addition
to his work as pastor. When the
Monroe County Community Men-
tal Health Board was formed in
September, 1964, he was named
chairman.

in January, 1966, he was elect-
ed president of the board of direc-
tors of the Monroe County Young
Men’s Christian Association. He
also had been a bass soloist with
the Monroe Civic Orchestra and
Community Chorus in Advent and
Lenten concerts and was soloist
in the presentation for Spiritual
Foundations Day of Michigan
Week.

He also had served as president
of the Monroe County Chapter of
the Michigan Society for Mental
Health.

His Detroit area pastorates
included First United Methodist
Church in East Detroit, the Strath-
moor Methodist Church in Detroit
and the First United Methodist
Church of Farmington.

In 1983, he accepted an int-
ment to the Birmingham United
Methodist Church, serving espe-
cially the senior adults. One par-
ticular group, Charlies’ Angels,
was named after him. He also
founded the Tandem group there.

A graduate of Southboard High
School at Staten Island, N.Y., he
also graduated in 1949 from
Asbury College, Wilmore, Ky.,
and in 1952 from Drew Theologi-
cal Seminary of Madison, N.J.

Rey. Beynon was a member of
the Senior Men’s Club of Birm-
ingham and the board of trustees
at Lake Louise Methodist camp
near Grayling.

He had served as a major in the
Amny Air Force, including in the
European Theater during World
War II. He was the group naviga-
tor with the 92 Group, a command
that was flying the B-17s.

Surviving are two sons, Charles
H. III of Houston, Texas, and
David S. of Carmel, Ind.; three
daughters, Mrs. Lura Way of
Mount Pleasant, Mrs. Deborah
Lopetrone of Detroit and Mrs. Jan
Sabin of Grand Rapids, and nine
grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the
First United Methodist Church,

1589 W. Maple Rd., Birmingham,
MI 48009.