James Howard Beckham Sr.

Samson, Ala.

James Howard Beckham Jr., 81, of Samson, Ala., died Friday, Jan. 23, 2004, at Flowers Hospital after a brief illness.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2004, at the First Baptist Church in Samson with the Rev. Burney Enzor and Rev. Randy Kuhn officiating.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Pittman Funeral Home.

The body will lie in state Sunday at the church from 1 to 2 p.m.

Burial will follow in Travelers Rest Cemetery under the direction of the Pittman Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the American Heart Association, 1152 W. Main St., Dothan, Ala., or Camp Victory, 363 Victory Circle, Samson, AL 36477.

He was born July 21, 1922 in Geneva County, Alabama (Mt. Carmel Community) to the late Charles and Florence Beckham. He was a graduate of Samson High Class of 1940.

Mr. Beckham was a Sunday School teacher, a church treasurer and a deacon of First Baptist Church of Samson for 44 years. He retired after 20 years as a captain with the U.S. Army and served in WWII and the Korean conflict.

He was a member of the Samson Masonic Lodge and a Shriner. He was employed with Wiregrass Hospital and Nursing Home, the Dothan Nursing Home, and the Marengo County Nursing Home in Linden, where he retired in 1991.

Mr. Beckham was preceded in death by his parents; and three brothers, Lester, Wilbur and Robert Beckham.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Oid Ogburn Beckham of Samson; two sons, James Howard “Sonny” (Debbie) Beckham Jr. of Samson and John Charles (Alayna) Beckham of Samson; and two grandchildren, Karen Leigh Beckham and Daniel Scott Beckham, both of Samson.