Heart Ailment Fatal To Alvin A. Beesley
Prominent Western Musician Dies At 67; Funeral Arranged Sunday
A heart ailment, which developed only a few days ago today had taken the life of Alvin A. Beesley, one of the West’s most prominent music figures and a noted Church and civic leader.
Death took the 67-year-old founder and president of the Beesley Music Company at 4:40 p.m. yesterday in a local hospital.
Funeral services will be conducted Sunday at 1:30 p.m., in the L.D.S. Assembly Hall on Temple Square. Burial will take place in City Cemetery.
Friends may call at 124 Fourth East Street tomorrow from 2 to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 12 noon at the family home, 533 Eleventh Avenue.
The Beesley name was well known in the music world long before Alvin A. Beesley added to its renown. The son of Ebenezer and Sarah Hancock Beesley, he was born April 26, 1873, in Salt Lake City. His father was director of the Tabernacle Choir from 1870 to 1885 and was the composer of many Mormon hymns.
He was an organizer, three times served as president and for many years was director of the Salt Lake local American Federation of Musicians. He served as delegate to national musicians conventions on numerous occasions and knew well both the late Samuel Gompers and William C. Green, president of the American Federation of Labor. He also was a friend of the late Joseph N. Webber, president of the Federation of Musicians and Joseph Petrillo, present president.
Mr. Beesley married Ruby Pratt, a daughter of the late Pioneer leader, Orson Pratt, in May 1894.
As active in Church as in musical affairs, Mr. Beesley began his service in this field as a young man when he filled a mission to Indian Territory and to Kansas. He was ordained a High Priest by Pres. Joseph F. Smith and was a member of the Ensign Stake High Council at the time of his death. From 1898 to 1908 he was senior president of the Thirtieth Quorum of Seventy. He was Sunday School superintendent in the Nineteenth Ward from 1896 to 1902, assistant stake superintendent of Sunday Schools in Salt Lake Stake from 1908 to 1907, stake president of Y.M.M.I.A. from 1907 to 1908; chorister of the stake from 1904 to 1930. He was second bishop of the Twenty-second Ward, serving in that capacity from 1904 to 1930.
Mr. Beesley served as Salt Lake County commissioner from 1933 to 1935, heading the finance department. He was a director and member of the executive committee of the Hotel Utah, a member of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, and was a charter member of the old Salt Lake Commercial Club and Harmony Glee Club.
He served as a Boy Scout leader for 25 years and belonged to the Salt Lake Executive Council Boy Scouts of America.
Surviving are Mrs. Beesley, six sons and a daughter: Jerrold P. Beesley, city auditor, and Orson P. Beesley or Salt Lake City; Horace Beesley of Bountiful; Alvin Douglas Beesley of New York City; Irvin P. Beesley, Boy Scout executive for the Inland Empire Council at Spokane, Wash., and Sterling E. Beesley of Chicago, Ill., and Mrs. Newt S. Jennings of Salt Lake; two sisters, Miss Clarissa A. Beesley of Salt Lake City and Mrs. Amy Lee of Chehalis, Wash., four brothers, Frank Beesley of Eureka, Adelbert and Wilford Beesley of Salt Lake City and Ren Beesley of Los Angeles, Calif., and 20 grandchildren.
[Deseret News, Sept. 27, 1940, 13, 24]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Jan. 2006]
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Speakers Praise Life of Alvin A. Beesley In Rites
Praises for the devoutness, integrity and effective leadership of Alvin A. Beesley, noted musician, civic and Church official, who died Thursday of a heart ailment, filled the speeches of speakers during funeral services yesterday in the Assembly Hall.
Elder George Albert Smith of the Council of Twelve said he knew of no more faithful worker in Scouting inside the Church and out, in the principal address. Nephi L. Morris, president of the Salt Lake City Board of Education, and officer of the Sons of Utah Pioneers, and Winslow Farr Smith, president of Ensign Stake, also spoke.
In addition, a statement of respect prepared by Pres. Heber J. Grant was read by his secretary Joseph Anderson.
Bishop Waldo M. Andersen of Ensign Ward officiated and Gordon Taylor Hyde, former bishop offered invocation, Bishop George D. Jorgensen of the Twenty-second Ward pronounced benediction.
Alexander Schreiner, tabernacle organist, played two selections, one a hymn composed by Mr. Beesley’s father, Ebenezer Beesley.
Musical selections also were given by the White Chapel Male Quartet, a string quartet representing the Salt Lake Federation of Musicians, the L.D.S> Male Chorus, directed by George H. Durham, and a soprano solo by Mrs. Thomas A. Clawson, Jr.
Wilford A. Beesley, president of Salt Lake Stake, dedicated the grave in City Cemetery and Boy Scouts conducted a flag ceremony.
Mr. Beesley’s sons, Jerrold, Orson, Horace, Douglas, Irving and Sterling, were active pallbearers, and honorary pallbearers were: Howard C. Means, P.A. Mattingly, Dr. Arthur C. Wherry, Earl J. Glade, Gilbert W. Williams, Adrian B. Pembroke, Milton E. Lipman, George D. Pyper, Ernest Lambourne, Adam S. Bennion, S.O. Bennion, O.J. Morgan, R.H. Siddoway, Joseph Poll, S.D. Winter, Robert H. Hodge, Alfred W. Peterson, Fred C. Graham, Hugh W. Dougall, James S. Morgan, Horace Ensign, Tom G. Doxey, James F. Griggs, Victor Christopherson, Tom G. Gill, Walter A. Wallace, F.C. Fuller, Dr. Willard Christopherson and Andrew Peterson.
[Deseret News, Sept. 30, 1940, 3]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Jan. 2006]
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September 26, 1940
Death took Alvin A. Beesley, 67, founder and president of the Beesley Music Company, one of the West’s most prominent music figures, and noted Church and civic leader. His father, Ebenezer Beesley, was director of the Tabernacle Choir from 1870 to 1885 and was composer of many excellent Latter-day Saint hymns.
[Improvement Era, 1940]
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Heart Ailment Ends Career Of S.L. Leader
Alvin A. Beesley Was Prominent In Many Fields
Alvin A. Beesley, 67, founder, president and manager of the Beesley Music company, former county commissioner and outstanding figure in Salt Lake church, Cultural and civic activities for nearly half a century, died Thursday at 4:40 p.m. in a Salt Lake hospital. He had lived at 533 Eleventh avenue for many years.
He was born in Salt Lake City, April 26, 1873, a son of Ebenezer and Sarah Hancock Beesley. His father directed the L.D.S. tabernacle choir from 1870 to 1885, and Mr. Beesley’s early life was profoundly influenced by the musical atmosphere of his parents’ home.
He graduated from Salt Lake City schools, and studied extensively in music under his father and other teachers.
Married Leader’s Daughter
In May, 1894, he married Ruby Pratt, a daughter of Orson Pratt, pioneer leader of the L.D.S. church. Mr. and Mrs. Beesley had six sons and two daughters.
As a young man Mr. Beesley filled missions for the L.D.S. church to the Indian territory and Kansas, the start of a lifetime of devoted activity for the church. He held the rank of high priest, having been ordained to the office by President Joseph F. Smith. From 1898 to 1908 he acted as senior president of the thirtieth quorum of seventy. He was Sunday school superintendent in the Nineteenth L.D.S. ward from 1896 to 1902, assistant stake superintendent of Sunday schools in Salt Lake City form 1904 to 1907, stake president of the Y.M.M.I.A. in 1907 and 1908, and chorister in the stake from 1904 to 1930. He was a member of the Ensign stake high council.
He was second bishop of the Twenty-second L.D.S. ward, serving in that capacity from 1906 to 1924.
Directed County Finances
He served as county commissioner from 1932 to 1935, and as finance commissioner gained a reputation for care and economy in the expenditure of county revenue.
As a prominent musician he served as delegate to national musicians’ conventions on four occasions, and served three times as president and for many years as a director of the Salt Lake local of the American Federation of Musicians—a unit in which he was prominently identified as organizer.
In his work for labor he became an intimate friend of both the late Samuel Compers and William C. Green, presidents of the American Federation of Labor.
He was a director and member of the executive committee of the Hotel Utah, a member of the Salt Lake chamber of commerce, Rotary club, and was a charter member of both the old Salt Lake Commercial club and the Harmony Glee club.
Mr. Beesley was a 25-year-veteran in Boy Scouting, and belonged to the Salt Lake executive council of Boy Scouts of America. One of his sons, Irving P. Beesley of Spokane, Wash., is now serving for the Inland Empire council.
Surviving are his widow; six sons, Jerrold P. Beesley, city auditor, and Orson P. Beesley of Salt Lake City; Horace Beesley of Bountiful; Alvin Douglas Beesley of New York, N.Y.; Irving P. Beesley of Spokane, Wash., and Sterling E. Beesley of Chicago, Ill.; one daughter, Mrs. Newt S. Jennings of Salt Lake City; two sisters, Miss Clarissa A. Beesley of Salt Lake City and Mrs. Amy Lee of Chehalls, Wash.; four brothers, Frank Beesley of Eureka, Adelbert and Wilford Beesley of Salt Lake City, and Wren Beesley of Los Angeles, Cal., and 20 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the L.D.S. assembly hall on the tabernacle grounds. Burial will be in Salt Lake City cemetery.
Friends may call at the family residence until noon Sunday.
[Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 27, 1940, 19, 34]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Jan. 2006]
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Beesley Rites Set For Today
Funeral services for Alvin A. Beesley, 67, Salt Lake City church and civic leader and prominent personality in music circles, who died Thursday of a heart ailment, will be conducted Sunday at 1:#0 p.m. in the L.D.S. assembly hall on the tabernacle grounds.
Bishop Waldo M. Andersen of the Ensign ward will officiate, and speakers will be George Albert Smith of the council of twelve apostles of the L.D.S. church; Winslow F. Smith, president of the Ensign stake, and Nephi L. Morris.
Rites will include organ selections by Alexander Schreiner, singing by the White Chapel male quartet, Ruth Jensen Clawson and the L.D.S. male chorus, and music by a string quartet from the Salt Lake Federation of Musicians.
The grave in Salt Lake City cemetery will be dedicated by Wilford A. Beesley, president of the Salt Lake stake.
Honorary pallbearers will be Howard C. Means, P.A. Mattingly, Dr. Arthur C. Wherry, Earl J. Glade, Gilbert W. Williams, Adrian B. Pembroke, Milton E. Lipman, George D. Pyper, Ernest Lambourne, Adam S. Bennion, S.O. Bennion, O.J. Morgan, and members of the old Harmony Glee club.
[Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 29, 1940, B7]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Jan. 2006]
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Last Tributes Paid to Civic Leader
Friends and relatives crowded the L.D.S. assembly hall on temple square Sunday afternoon to pay final homage to Alvin A. Beesley, 67, prominent Salt Lake churchman, civic leader and musician who died Thursday of a heart ailment.
Church officials and civic leaders praised Mr. Beesley for his devoutness and for his business integrity.
President Heber J. Grant of the L.D.S. church, in a prepared statement, read by his secretary Joseph W. Anderson, termed Mr. Beesley “an ideal and beloved bishop. . . ever ready to perform a service for a friend, or to fulfill a duty to his church.”
George Albert Smith, a member of the council of twelve apostles of the L.D.S. church, said “Mr. Beesley was one of the most energetic, active and faithful workers in scouting, inside and outside of the church, that I have ever known.”
Traces Fine Tradition
The apostle traced musical contributions of the Beesley family and declared that Mr. Beesley “carried on the fine traditions.”
Waldo M. Andersen, bishop of the Ensign L.D.S. ward, officiated at the services. Gordon Taylor Hyde, former bishop of the Ensign ward, gave the invocation and George D. Jorgensen, bishop of the Twenty-second L.D.S. ward, offered the benedictory prayer.
Besides President Grant and Mr. Smith, other speakers included Nephi L. Morris, president of the Salt Lake City board of education, and Winslow F. Smith, president of the Ensign L.D.S. stake.
Alexander Schreiner, L.D.S. tabernacle organist, played the prelude and also rendered a special selection written by Ebenezer Beesley, father of Alvin A. Beesley.
Other musical numbers included selections by the White Chapel male quartet; a string quartet composed of Reginald J.H. Beales, Clyde Jones, T. Jorgensen and Robert Fisher, and the L.D.S. male chorus directed by George H. Durham, Mrs. Thomas A. Clawson Jr., sang a soprano solo, “Come Unto Me.”
Wilford A. Beesley, president of the Salt Lake L.D.S. stake, dedicated the grave in Salt Lake City cemetery. Boy Scouts conducted a flag ceremony at the graveside.
Six sons, Jerrold P. Beesley and Orson P. Beesley of Salt Lake City; Horace Beesley of Bountiful; Alvin Douglas Beesley of New York City; Irving P. Beesley of Spokane, Wash., and Sterling E. Beesley of Chicago, Ill., were pallbearers.
Honorary Pallbearers
Honorary pallbearers included Howard C. Means, P.A. Mattingly, Dr. Arthur C. Wherry, Earl J. Glade, Gilbert W. Williams, Adrian B. Pembroke, Milton E. Lipman, George D. Pyper, Ernest Lambourne, Adam S. Bennion, S.O. Bennion, O.J. Morgan, R.H. Siddoway, Joseph Poll, S.D. Winter, Robert H. Hodge, Alfred W. Peterson, Fred C. Graham, Hugh W. Dougall, James S. Morgan, Horace Ensign, Tom G. Doxey, James F. Griggs, Victor Christopherson, Tom G. Gill, Walter A. Wallace, F.C. Fuller, Dr. Willard Christopherson and Andrew Peterson.”
[Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 30, 1940, 18]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Jan. 2006]
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