Stephen Beeker, D.D.S.

TRAVERSE CITY — Stephen D. "Steve" Beeker, 72, died Friday, Oct. 21, 2011, at Munson Medical Center.Steve was born July 15, 1939, in Hopkinsville, Ky., the son of Donald and Florence (Gollmier) Beeker, and grew up in Indianapolis.He graduated from Indiana University and also the IU School of Dentistry. He practiced family dentistry for five years in northern Michigan before attending the University of Michigan's School of Orthodontics. On Aug. 25, 1962, he married Alice McCutchan. Together they raised three children. The Beeker family moved from Lafayette, Ind., to Traverse City in 1979 where he practiced until retirement.Steve was a private pilot and loved everything connected with aviation.He was also a World War II history buff. For 17 years he was a member of the Northwestern Regional Airport Commission, serving as chairman for two years. He was an active and very enthusiastic member of the local Experimental Aircraft Association chapter. For more than 10 years, he volunteered at the EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisc. He and his grandson Yani looked forward to driving the Welcome Wagon shuttle service for pilots of Homebuilt aircraft at Airventure. He also loved to travel, read, fish and hunt. He was an avid Hoosier basketball fan.Steve is survived by his wife Alice; daughters, Gail (Randy), of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Julie (Lalu Wirayani), of Traverse City, and son Bruce of Cedar; brother Jon, of Kansas City, Kansas; and sister Michelle George, of Hilton Head, S.C. He is also survived by four very special grandchildren, Wade and Grant Folsom and Yani and Yana Beeker.In lieu of flowers friends are encouraged to donate blood to help others with leukemia, or to consider the Northwestern Michigan College Foundation for the Schools of Aviation, Nursing or Maritime, located at 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49686.We are especially thankful to the many caring professionals who helped Steve after his diagnosis, specifically everyone at Traverse Area Hematology/Oncology, the Munson Infusion Clinic and the caring C-4 staff at Munson. We will always remember your kindness. The family invites friends and family to a gathering on Sunday, Oct. 30, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Hagerty Center located on the Great Lakes Campus of Northwestern Michigan College, overlooking the West Bay at 715 E. Front St. Cremation has taken place. Please share thoughts with the family at Steve's online guestbook at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com.The family is being served by Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home.

Stephen Beeker, D.D.S.

October 21, 2011