Charleston Gazette
Friday, Febuary 12, 2021
FREDERICK BEECHER CHILES JR., musician and educator,
passed away on Friday, February
12, 2021, at his home in Dunbar.
Affectionately known as "Beecher", he was born and raised in Montgomery, WV, the
eldest
child of the late Frederick Beecher Chiles Sr. and Vanory Jackson
Chiles. There was always
music in the Chiles home, ranging from Chopin to
Duke Ellington and Count Basie. So, it was
not surprising that Beecher
started piano lessons at the age of six. His musical journey
continued in
concert and marching bands throughout his early education at Simmons High
School and Montgomery High School, during which time he started his first garage
band, The
Contours. Though Fred Sr. had planned for Beecher to be a doctor,
life had other plans.
As a college student, Beecher earned a B.A. in Music
and Music Education from West Virginia
State College. At State, he met the
love of his life, Elaine Maddox, in 1966. During their
marriage, Beecher
formed numerous traveling bands and trios, and in 1976, opened The
Music
Shoppe in Montgomery which cultivated hundreds of pianists, musicians and
vocalists
in the Fayette County area.
An avid boater, Beecher spent many
weekends and holidays on the Kanawha River aboard
the L'Elaina with family
and friends. He found great joy in gardening and planted hundreds
of bulbs
and flowers each year, creating a bountiful blooming landscape overlooking the
Kanawha. Beecher never met a stranger. Seemingly, mundane trips to the hardware
store
would turn into hours after Beecher talked and offered "advice" to
friends and others he just
met. His boisterous and outgoing personality lent
itself to enduring lifelong friendships and
a call to civic duty.
Beecher
served on the Board of Montgomery General Hospital and Charleston's Family
YMCA, President of the Montgomery Rotary Club, and Ward 1 Council Member of the
Dunbar City Council.
Beecher also served the church in the roles of organist,
choir director and minister of music
for over 40 years; serving at First
Baptist Church, Calvary Episcopal Church, and
Montgomery Presbyterian Church
in Montgomery; and, St. James Episcopal Church and St.
Christopher Episcopal
Church in Charleston.
Beecher was the Choral Music Director for Dupont High
School where many knew him as
directing The Bellairs, Dupont's Show Choir.
When Riverside High School was completed,
Beecher was named the Band Director
of Riverside High School where he remained for 13
years. After "failing" at
retirement, he worked as a substitute at several schools in Kanawha
County,
most recently as a full-time substitute at Westside Middle School.
He was
initiated into the Charleston Alumnae Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity,
Incorporated, in April 1980, and has served as President of Sigma Pi Phi
Fraternity,
Incorporated, known as the Boul .
Beecher "fought the good
fight" against metastatic cancer and is survived by his loving wife
Elaine of
Dunbar, WV, daughters Aleasa Chiles (Neal Attfield) of Alexandria, VA, and
Christie
Chiles-Twillie (Manuel Twillie) of Chicago, IL, grandchildren
Alexandra Nykole Feggins, Aliya
Gabrielle Feggins and Alassane Frederick
Chiles Twillie, sisters Paulette Chiles Mabry and
Leahgreatta Chiles Hairston
(Jerome), a legacy of loving cousins, in-laws, nieces, nephews, an
overflowing number of friends, former students, and church family.
The Chiles
family extends love and appreciation to all who supported Beecher during his
illness; including, family, friends, neighbors, caregivers and the staff of
HospiceCare West
Virginia. The family thanks each of you for providing care,
comfort, meals, hugs,
conversation and assisting with the many errands and
grocery store runs.
A walk-through memorial visitation honoring Beecher's
life will be held at Keller Funeral
Home, 1236 Myers Avenue, Dunbar, WV
25064, on Thursday, February 18, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Masks and social distancing
are required for all who attend.
A private memorial service and interment
will be held for family members.
Flowers may be sent to Keller Funeral Home,
Dunbar.