Terry Beaver Wore Many Hats at the Paper

A memorial service for the former part-owner and editor of the Burt County Plaindealer Is Today.

BY BETSIE FREEMAN WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

As part-owner and editor of the Burt County Plaindealer in Tekamah, Neb., C.D. “Terry” Beaver wrote stories, took pictures and made sure the paper got printed.

“He would have thought of himself as a printer first,” said daughter Lisa Kaplan of Natick, Mass., “but he had to put on some other hats.”

Beaver, 74, was diagnosed with lung cancer a few weeks ago and died Wednesday at Methodist Hospital from complications after surgery.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. today at First Presby¬terian Church in Tekamah.

Beaver learned the printing trade at the paper after graduating from Tekamah High School in 1948.

In 1950, he put aside his career to serve in the Army during the Korean War until 1953.

When he came home, he worked at Interstate Printing and The World-Herald as a linotype operator until 1965, when he purchased a half-interest in the Plaindealer from the men who taught him the business.

That started a whole new chapter in Beaver’s career, Kaplan said. He covered City Council meetings and area sporting events and wrote a column. Under his guidance, the Plaindealer won several Nebraska Press Association awards.

He sold his share of the Plain- dealer in 1989, but Beaver continued to share his thoughts on war, life on the farm and more with readers of the Panorama, son Jim’s publication in Tekamah, until earlier this month.

Beaver also was a longtime volunteer firefighter and rescue squad worker. He enjoyed Beethoven, hunting, golfing and reading. “He liked to discuss politics,” Kaplan said. “He liked a good argument.”

Besides his children, Beaver is survived by his wife of 49 years, Elinor, and five grandchildren.

BEAVER —Clarence D

"Terry", age 74. Tekamah NE. Survived by wife, Elinor N ,77 daughter and son-in-law Lisa Beth and Mark Kaplan, Natick, MA; son, Jim, of Tekamah, NE; 5 grandchildren; brother, K. Darrell, Edinburg, TX; sister, Nita Farnam, Fremont, NE.

Memorial Service Sat 11am First Presbyterian Church. Tekamah. NE. Private family burial.

Memorials to the First Presbyterian Church and Tekamah Fire and Rescue Squad.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~