Scott Noble

Ron was one of those guys who always set the stage for our lives in Long Beach.  From "shot-putting" on the B team in track in high school to occasional parties or just hanging out with Ron through the years, you were "grounded" in the good vibes that surrounded a great group of kids who became adults.  

He has just left us too soon!

John King

Sorry to hear about Ron.I might be wrong, but I thought he was also a pole vaulter and was real good.Anyways Matt Brislawn and I rented a house from the Palmers back in about 1982 and we use to see Ron and his wife quite often at Michelangelos having a great time and the connection between Kelly and Ron and us in their house brings back lot's of memories.Mostly good and I am sorry about the brick fireplace Kelly.

Robyn Hoffenberg

I knew Ron since 6th grade and I never saw him without his best friend Bruce Brown. Since college I only saw him at these get togethers and he was never without that big smile. Sorry to hear about his passing.

Richard T Waide

I think it was the summer between 6th and 7th grade.  This was just before either of us had discovered the beach.  Anyway, on Friday afternoons one of our mothers would take us to the stables down Carson.  Not to Spillers, but further down.  We would be left there till Sunday afternoon!  During the weekend we would help out doing whatever they'd ask, everything from cleaning stalls, to saddling horses, to helping take out night rides or breakfast rides.  Also, because we were small and light, they would occasionally put us on ponies that hadn't been broken yet.  The horses would buck and eventually throw us off, but what a blast.

We also encountered our idol, and soon to become, mentor, Tag.  Now, you see, Tag was around 14 or 15 years old...and let me just say, by the stories he'd tell us, he'd 'been around'.  Late at night, sitting in the Tack Room (which is also where we slept, with hay as our matress), Tag would pop open a beer, light a ciggie, and regail us with his exploits.  (Did I mention, he was a worldly, older guy?).

One of the best summers I can remember...me, Ronnie and Tag.

Bruce Brown

What can I say about the passing of my best friend of 52 years?  That he was a great friend and tons of fun...that’s a given. He was handsome, very strong for a smaller guy and oh so funny. He taught me how to ride horses and pick up girls. Neither one I was very good at.  But he was good at both. I used to get girls just by being his wingman. 

We met in the summer of ‘66 at Seal Beach.  Ronnie loved the beach.  He was always getting into tanning contests with friends and random people we met at the beach.  His favorite contest was with our good friend Keith Thornton.  To my knowledge Keith was the first African-American student at Millikan.  It was a summer long contest in which Keith didn’t think he needed to try.  By the end of the summer I swear Ronnie was darker than Keith.  

Ronnie and I were never what you would call exceptional students but we had a lot of fun in high school.  Weather it was dancing at the Canteen or the super fun “joints” Dems Phi had with the equally fun Millikan sororities (and sometimes Lakewood sororities...we all know about Lakewood girls) there was always a party going on.  For Ronnie and I high school culminated with a “senior trip” to Hawaii where we shared a 10’ x 40’ one room apt with Mike McGinnis and Dave Newman.  It was an epic blast with stories that were retold for years.  

After high school there was the all important 4 year visit to LBCC broken up by our 4 months of active duty in the National Guard.  During that time Ronnie got me a job at Disneyland where I met my wife of 44 years.  Just another way that Ronnie changed my life for the better.  After that there were jobs and marriages and kids and all the things that happen in a well lived life. But along with our good friend Jack Rice we always remained close. We attended every class of ‘68 reunion together and I had hoped we would see the big 50 together. It was not to be. 

For those of you who didn’t know Ronnie I’m sure this sounds like the “glory days” rantings of a pathetic old man.  But for those of you who knew him you know we lost one of the most fun and funny guys to ever walk the halls at Millikan.  I’m heartbroken at the loss of my friend.

Jack Walter Rice

Like Bruce, Ronnie was a close friend for some 50+ years. I have so many memories from early days at Seal Beach to more recent get togethers at the Crab Pot.  We stayed connected over the years and we were proud of that. Watching Ronnie go through his battle for life couldn't have been more difficult. He did it in Beamer style with grace and dignity second to none. I once heard that the definition of a true friend was someone you could be away from for awhile but when you got together again it was just like old times. Well that's the way it was for Ronnie and I. Although we had very different lives we always enjoyed catching up, reminiscing about old times and of course having a laugh. Beamer was as genuine as they come! A sense of humor and a charisma everyone loved. Aloha Beamer and Mahalo for being a true friend and a ray of light in our lives! Love you buddy!

Mike McGinnis

At that age where I can't remember where my keys are, or picture what I had for dinner last night, but if I close my eyes for 5 seconds, I can remember Ronnie's smiling face and hear his constant and infectious laugh. He was always irrepressible and there wasn't a Friday or Saturday night during college where he wasn't holding court and making people happy. Thanks for my first trip to Hawaii and a month at Mrs. Young's eating fried egg sandwiches ( with ketchup) and for the stories I still tell almost 50 years later. For Bruce and those who knew Ronnie far better than I did, I send my best to you all. Good news is Ronnie is strolling around heaven, shaking hands and telling jokes, and handing out his cards that say," you have just met Ron the Beamer Beamsley . . ."

Mike McGinnis