- Date Of Birth: January 23, 1921
- Date Of Death: February 19, 2008
- State: Illinois
Leo L. Beerup, 87, of Jacksonville, died Tuesday, February 19, 2008, at Prairie Village Health Care Center in Jacksonville.
He was born January 23, 1921, in Franklin, IL, the son of Otto E. and Hannah Lucille Bland Beerup. He married Sophie Grech on December 22, 1945, in Charleston, S.C. at the local Methodist Church, and she survives.
He is also survived by three children, Penny Lee Ravn of Springfield, Cullen C. Beerup of West Lake, Ohio, and Bruce (wife, Sally) Beerup of Silverthorne, Col.; six grandchildren, Justin Levi Beerup, David Ravn, Matt Ravn, Carla Hass, Kimberly Wade, and Suzanne Scott; and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Jo Renee Wade (surviving husband, Richard of Waverly); one sister, Marcella June Crowcroft; and one brother, Otto Beerup (surviving wife, Virginia of Jacksonville).
The Beerup family moved from Franklin to Jacksonville during Leo’s high school days. He was a veteran of World War II, serving with the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. After his discharge from the U.S. Coast Guard, at the end of World War II, married Sophie Grech, daughter of Serge and Mary Grech on December 22, 1945, in Charleston, South Carolina at the local Methodist Church. Leo met Sophie at the Charleston public swimming pool during his service as a Chief Petty officer aboard the destroyer escort U.S.S. Menges, which was in dry dock finishing repairs after a torpedo attack and awaiting fresh orders for the North Atlantic campaign of World War II. He received American Area, European-African-Middle Eastern Area, and World War II Victory Ribbons. He was a member of the American Legion, a Lifetime Member of the VFW, and an avid outdoorsman, local historian, and consummate storyteller. Mr. Beerup ran Craig Office Supply on East State Street, across from the old post office, from his return after the war until retiring in December 1980.
