Beach, William Robert
William R. Beach (aka Bill "Peg Pants" Beach) was surrounded by his family as he went to be with his Savior on October 28, 2024 at the age of 92. He was a beloved father, father-in-law, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, cousin and friend. He is preceded in death by his loving parents, Lillian and Harold, his wives Joan (d. 2019), Barbara (d. 1984) and Mildred (d. 1997), his step-son Dana Hartsock (d. 2022) as well as other loved family members and friends. His loving daughters Debra Kay Beach of Crawfordsville, Indiana and Bonnie Jane (Wayne) McDaniel of Hamilton, Ohio, stepchildren Dennis of Florida and Julie of Georgia, grandchildren William (Demitria) Beach and Brittany (Paul) Simpson, survive him. Also mourning him are his four great-grandchildren (Lillianne, Dylan, Elliot and Adaline) step-grandchildren Kelly (Stephen) Moss, Kim (Brian) Morani, Damian (Katie) Hartsock, Joanna (Justin) Gwin, Lindsay (Jesse) Castillo and Bryan (Jessica) Hartsock , step-great-grandchildren and other family members and friends.
He spent his young years on a tobacco farm in Kentucky where he learned the value of hard work and self-determination. He was taught the importance of generosity and that the most valuable gift you could give someone was a bit of your time and a kind word. He passed these valuable lessons on to his own family.
During his youth, his height and athletic talent allowed him to own the basketball court. His success at winning jump balls earned him the nickname "Frog" during his high school years.
Bill was a patriot and fiercely devoted to his country. After high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served honorably during the Korean War. He earned the rank of Sergeant and received many commendations for his rifle expertise. Always the consummate entertainer and great storyteller, he could light up a room with laughter and telling jokes and tales. His entertainment success was highlighted by being inducted into The International Rockabilly Hall of Fame for his songs "Peg Pants" and "You're Gonna Like Me Baby". He wrote and performed both songs and in 1956 recorded them at King Records in Cincinnati. These songs have been featured on multiple Rockabilly musical compilations with other famous Rockabilly artists such as Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis.
After leaving the music industry, Bill became a successful small business owner. Beach's Sewing Center provided specialty sewing machines and sewing education to generations of Greater Cincinnati families. While in business in Greater Cincinnati, Bill served his community as a member of the Optimist Club of Northern Kentucky, volunteered for the Greater Cincinnati Multiple Sclerosis Society and he was proud to be a Kentucky Colonel.
When Bill retired, he split his time between Southwest Florida and Tennessee. When he wasn't fishing, Bill began performing and recording music again in his sixties after retiring and he won several songwriting contests. He was commissioned in 2009 by Rookery Bay Estuary in Naples, Florida to write a song commemorating the discovery of a new species of fish off the coastal waters of Florida, the Batfish. His song, Batfish Boogie, is played annually at the Bash for the Bay in Naples. He was a guest performer at the Cincy Blues Fest in 2011 on the Festival's first-ever Rockabilly Stage. He is also included in Xavier University's online library of King Records recording artists in Cincinnati, Ohio. Bill continued performing and writing songs well into his late 80's He spent his last years living at Berkeley Square in Hamilton, Ohio where he was able to be close to his loving family.
He was a man with strong Christian beliefs and he was active in the churches he attended throughout his life. The last song he wrote, "Thank God for Jesus", is a testament to his Salvation through Jesus Christ.
A public Celebration of Life will be held at Berkeley Square Retirement Community, 100 Berkeley Circle, Hamilton, Ohio 45013 on November 20th from 5:00 pm until 7:30 pm. A private, graveside ceremony will be held at the Marco Island Cemetery in Marco Island, Florida at a later date. Prior to his death, Bill requested that in lieu of flowers, donations in his name could be made to Hospice of Cincinnati at hospiceofcincinnati.org/donate or to edgewoodbaptist.org/giving.