ST. PAUL — Jerry J. Beachner, 86, of St. Paul passed away peacefully in his home on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024.
Jerry was one of the triplets born to Fred and Anna (Brazil) Beachner on April 7, 1938, in Greenbush. As the spring blizzard of 1938 blanketed the earth, Jerry and his brother and sister were delivered by their grandmother and a young aunt of the home.
He grew up on the Beachner family farm northeast of St. Paul and attended the Lone Elm one-room country school and St. Francis High School.
On Oct. 15, 1955, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Jane “Janey” Bradshaw. She was the love of his life and they were married for 65 years. Together they lived life and raised a family of seven children in St. Paul.
Jerry was an active member of the community. He faithfully attended St. Francis Catholic Church and was a fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a past board member of the Kansas Bankers Association, the Kansas Contractors Association and the Associated General Contractors of America.
In the 1950s, Jerry worked with his father on the farm and in the Beachner Seed Co. Around 1960, he and his brothers founded the Beachner Construction Co. For over 50 years, these companies excelled in the heavy construction and agricultural business in Kansas and multiple surrounding states. In their early years, their work and projects contributed to the construction of the original U.S. federal highway system in Kansas.
Jerry oversaw the road and bridge building division of Beachner Construction. He had a natural business sense, a talent for anticipating the next opportunity and a down-to-earth approach when working with others. He always had a sincere appreciation and concern for their hundreds of employees and was much loved and admired by them.
Jerry’s last years were spent reminiscing about his life and family. He had an excellent memory and loved to tell stories about the places he had visited. He remembered every seeding and lighting project and could point out every road and bridge the company had built.
He was proud of his family and grandchildren and loved when they came to visit. His legacy was his commitment to his family, his work ethic and his faith. Jerry will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him.
Survivors include three sons, Jim Beachner (Becky) of Cherryvale, Tom Beachner (Debbie) of Olathe and Michael Beachner (Angela) of St. Paul; three daughters, Suzie Diskin (Terry) of St. Paul, Joan Shannon (Philip Matyas) of Alexandria, Virginia, and Annette Treiber (Bill) of St. Paul; 21 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; and his triplet sister, Jane Anne Beachner of St. Paul.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Janey, on Sept. 23, 2020; his son, Jody Beachner; a granddaughter, Leslie Treiber; a grandson, Alex Treiber; a son-in-law, John Shannon; his triplet infant brother, James Beachner; and three brothers, Bill Beachner, Robert Beachner and Eugene “Corky” Beachner.
The funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul concelebrated by the Revs. Matthew Davied, David Michael Htun, Theodore Khin and Chrysostom Ah Maung. Burial will follow at St. Francis Cemetery in St. Paul. The rosary will be prayed at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the church. The family will receive friends following the rosary.
The family suggests memorials to the St. Francis Parish School of Religion. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS, 67357.
Leave online condolences at www.forbeshoffman.com.
