Philip Harold Beegle

Mr. Philip Harold Beegle. Of Palmetto,GA., passed away Friday, December 9, 2016. He was born on January 11, 1924, in Bedford, PA., to the late Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Beegle. In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Geri, of 65 years, five brothers and two sisters, and his daughter, Barbara. He graduated from Florida Southern College and had a 25 year career in the US Air Force. He joined the Army Air Corps and served in World War II as a Bombardier. He flew a mission on D Day in France. After the war, he completed flight training and was assigned as a pilot in the Strategic Air Command. The Army Air Corp was transferred to the newly formed US Air Force. His was the first class to graduate in the USAF, after which he was assigned to a division in charge of building the Strategic War Plan. This was in the time of the Cold War and SAC kept crews on alert. He was sent to the Air War College and by the time he graduated, he was promoted to Lt. Colonel. He was put in charge of the computer division, which provided support to the war planning staff. This was to prepare him for his post-military life. In 1967, he retired from the Air Force, having risen to the rank of Colonel. He went into business in Atlanta with a former Air Force contemporary and formed NDC, National Data Corporation, the first company to have a nationwide data collection system with real time response. After retiring from that business, he formed a real estate business and sold and managed office buildings and farm land. He found a large tract of land in middle Georgia, and called it 5B Ranch. He and Geri spent many happy times on “the farm”. Phil enjoyed playing tennis, joining ALTA, with his daughter as his mixed-doubles partner. In 1995, he sold his home in Buckhead, and bought a small farm in Palmetto, where he lived with Geri the remaining years of his life. He is survived by son, Philip Harold Beegle, Jr. (Ann), Rodney Neal Beegle (Rita), grandsons, Philip H. Beegle lll (Jennifer), Brian Lee Beegle, Kevin Jackson Beegle, Morgan Chase Lambert, Austin Taylor Lambert; great-grandsons Philip H. Beegle IV, and Jackson Ray Beegle. A graveside service will be held at Sykes Chapel United Methodist Church, in Claxton, Georgia, on December 12th at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dixie Wing, a volunteer organization dedicated to restoring and flying WWII airplanes, allowing them to teach education through living history.

Philip Harold Beegle

January 11, 1924 - December 9, 2016