Kenneth Horace Beesley, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at home March 27, 2022 of natural
causes.
Kenneth was born November 14, 1926 in Salt Lake City to Alvin Douglas Beesley and Theresa McAllister Beesley. He grew up in Salt Lake City, the fourth of seven children, and graduated from West High School. He served honorably in the US Navy during World War II and returned to serve in the LDS Northern States Mission and earn a Bachelor's Degree at the University of Utah. He met Donna Deem on a blind date, and they married December 1, 1950 in the Salt Lake Temple. They remained faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and would eventually have five children.
Ken and Donna then moved to New York City, where he served as a counselor in the bishopric and earned a Master's Degree and an Ed.D. (a doctorate in Education) at Teachers College, Columbia University. Upon graduation he was hired by the College, eventually serving as Assistant Provost and Registrar. After fifteen years in New York, the family moved to California for four years, where he served as Executive Dean of Fresno State College (now Fresno State University) and as an LDS bishop.
He next served as an Associate Commissioner of Education for the Church, serving under Neal A. Maxwell and Jeffrey R. Holland, with responsibility for schools and colleges in Latin America and the South Pacific, including the Church College of Hawaii (now BYU Hawaii). He served on the Sunday School General Board. He culminated his career in education as president of the LDS Business College, now Ensign College, retiring at the end of 1991.
In 1992, Ken and Donna started their next great adventure when they were called to be the very first LDS missionaries to Mongolia. They learned to say, "We've been called on a mission to Outer Mongolia, and that's not a joke." As there was no mission established yet, Ken was designated as Lead Elder. On their return, Ken and Donna served for several years as ordinance workers in the Bountiful Temple.
He was a hard worker who overcame a difficult childhood in a disadvantaged family, worked his way arduously through school, and suffered a number of health problems through the years without complaint. Ken and Donna did volunteer work at Red Butte Gardens, and Ken also volunteered to do family counseling at LDS Hospital. He enjoyed gardening and fishing, but his main satisfactions came from promoting education and being a loving support and inspiration to his family.
He was a good man. The world is better for having had him, and he will be long remembered and sorely missed.
He is survived by his loving wife Donna; four children, Kenneth Reid (Sharree) Beesley, Rulon Deem (Sharon) Beesley, Tamara (Clay) Thornton, and Ellen Christine (Gill) Halford; 16 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Daughter Diane (Thomas) Creighton preceded him in death in 2017.
Viewings will be held Friday April 8, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and Saturday April 9 from 9:30 to 10:30 AM at the LDS "White Chapel," 3350 South 100 East, Bountiful, Utah. Services will be held April 9, 11:00 to 12:00, also at the White Chapel, and will also be available via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87015749911
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Dear Donna,
We will miss Ken so much. We appreciate you both for many years of friendship and service. Yvette and I are thinking of you and your family. God bless you and keep you.
With Love,
Alma & Yvette Schurig
Ken has been a wonderful influence in my life. He was always so cheerful and a delight to speak with. He and Donna have been a great blessing to the North Canyon 6th Ward. A most wise and "Christlike" man.
I am touched this morning as I read the obituary of dear Kenneth Beesley. What a wonderful man! He welcomed me into the fold of the LDS Business College community. He trusted me and taught me much! I will ever revere him, as he definitely changed my life for good! I look forward to visiting with this great mentor again on the other side of the veil.
A great leader, a wonderful father, and a kind friend.
Sister Beesley,
As a teenager growing up in Queens Ward, which was part of the old New York Stake, I recall Kens, and your, faithful service for several years. You were part of that Columbia University Doctorate in Education program that brought some of the "best and brightest" from the western states to NYC. You were all such a strength and an asset to the work in that area. I'm sure, living in Manhattan, for several years, with a young family, had its own challenges but you were both always smiling. Perhaps that was good training for your calling to Mongolia. Ken was the lead Elder of that faithful group of "shock troops" who opened the work in that historic land. My father Gordon, Kens Cousin, always admired your faithful service during that New York period and appreciated the later association at the Maeser family reunions. Kens life and yours, has been an inspiration to all who knew you both.
Dear Beesley family. I am so sorry to hear about Ken’s passing. I enjoyed many appointments talking with him while I cleaned his teeth at Dr Cheney’s office. He is a very humble man and a true disciple of Jesus Christ. My life was blessed by knowing him and the Beesley family.
Dear Donna and Friends,
Dear Donna, Beesley family and friends,
Today I was meeting in Ulaanbaatar our ling-time friend Richard Cook, the first President of the LDS mission in Mongolia back in 1994, together with Mary Cook, and their son Rich Cook.
We were fondly remembering Beesley’s, the Harpers, Smidt’s, Smith’s, the first four couples, who came to Mongolia in 1992 led by Ken Beesley. The couples were followed by Carlson’s, Allsop’s, Cox’s, first President of the LDS mission Cook’s and Andersen’s and many others.
The courageous couples have helped to free hundreds and thousands of the Mongolian youth from decades of a religious repression and helped them to freely express their beliefs without a fear for the first time in their lives.
All you did for Mongolian people risking your personal health and safety, comfort and families was just heroic, and immense. You and your families can be proud of your mission.
I am forever grateful to you and all the people who I met in SLC, Utah first time in 1992 who I became good friends with.
Bold Magvan, on behalf of my big family
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
15 August 2022