“My parents moved to Vandalia in 1957,” Beeson said. “But there is a lot of historical significance for my family.”
Beeson’s grandfather, for whom he is named, owned and operated a family farm on the corner of Peter’s Pike, extending south to Old Springfield Road, now part of the Dayton International Airport. The family had eleven children, all of whom worked on the farm.
“My story isn’t so much about me as much as it is my grandfather and the heritage of our family,” Beeson said.
Beeson’s father, Vincent, was a prisoner of war in World War II and when his plane was shot down over Germany, he was the only person who survived. He returned home obviously changed by his experiences but determined to make a home in the community he remembered as a child.
“My dad and mom walked the streets to get other neighbors to sign a petition to make Vandalia a city,” Beeson said.
In 1961, their efforts paid off and Vandalia was incorporated. Beeson’s father was elected to the city council and then, vice mayor to the city’s first mayor, Ben Armstrong.
“My grandparents thought it was important for all their children to get good educations,” Beeson said. “As a result, everyone graduated from Butler High School from that generation going forward.”
Beeson himself graduated from what was then Butler High School in 1971. He had already started working in journalism and was the editor of the “Crossroads Chronical” and the
Beeson went to college at Kent State University, graduating with a degree in journalism in 1975. There he became editor of the “Daily Kent Stater” as a junior, which was unheard of at the time since this was a position reserved for seniors. By then Beeson had already won awards for his journalistic talents. Because the university didn’t allow an editor to serve for two years, Beeson was hired by the office of public administration during his senior year.
“I wrote their promotional and recruitment materials,” Beeson said. “They valued me and promised to hire me full time after graduation.”
But the economy caused a job freeze at all state universities. Beeson had to look for something else.
“It was a humbling experience,” Beeson said. “I had won awards but didn’t have a place to go.”
Beeson said he didn’t want to work for a weekly paper, he decided to apply at the newly formed “Englewood Independent.” He was hired by Jack Bowling as associate publisher and was given marching orders to review all the local papers under the Bowling-Moorman Company, including those in New Carlisle, Tipp City, West Milton, Huber Heights and Englewood.
Beeson ended up working for the papers from 1975 to 1983.
“In 1983 my wife, Sandy, was pregnant with our second son and I got an offer to become marketing director for the Daily Record in Wooster,” Beeson said.
As he moved up in his career, he became general manager and started a Sunday paper. In 1998 he switched gears and went into economic development for the Wayne Development Council in Wayne County. And he loved it.
“In 2003, I wasn’t looking for another job, but a friend encouraged me to apply for a group publisher position with Brown Publishing out of Columbus,” Beeson said. “I took the job and worked for them for 10 years, running the north and south divisions and all the papers up and down I-75.”
Beeson and his family had moved back to Butler Twp. and bought a house off Frederick Pike. Eventually he moved up to the position of vice president of advertising for the Ohio Newspaper Association. He retired in 2017, after experiencing heart issues that sidelined him.
Accustomed to living an active life and working hard, Beeson decided to learn how to play pickleball and also spent time playing golf.
“I ran into Julie Trick of the Vandalia-Butler Foundation when I was out with Sandy,” Beeson said. “Julie was really pushing for me to get involved with the community again and wanted me to join the board.”
Beeson agreed and attended his first board meeting in December of 2024. But the foundation was experiencing challenges — one of biggest was publicity.
“I suggested we do an event,” Beeson said. “I thought about pickleball because there are almost 400 members of the Pickleball Association in Vandalia.”
That discussion turned into “Paddle-Palooza,” which was in September in Vandalia’s Helke Park. It supports the Vandalia-Butler community through grants.
Today, Beeson remains devoted to the community his family has loved for generations and enjoys spending time with family, especially his wife Sandy, whom he calls “the wind in my sails.”
“Sandy encourages me every step of the way,” Beeson said. “For us the old saying is so true — behind every successful person is another giving untiring support.”
Contact this contributing writer at banspachwriter@gmail.com.
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