Rector native Rev. James William (Jim) Beal, a retired United Methodist pastor, long-time denomination leader and active community volunteer, died Friday, March 4, 2005, at age 76. He resided in Conway.

Born Sept. 16, 1928, in Rector to the late Claude and Olive Pruett Beal, he was a 1952 graduate of Hendrix College and a 1955 graduate of Perkins School of Theology.

He is survived by his wife, Mauzel Matthews Beal; daughter Laura and her husband Steve Middlekauff of Conway; Joyce Beal-Meriwether of Conway, spouse of the late Rev. Roger Beal; four grandchildren, Wesley Beal of Florida and Zachary Beal and Megan and Molly Middlekauff of Conway, and a brother, Gene, and his wife Martha Beal of Conway.

Rev. Beal was pastor at Oppelo, Wilburn, Imboden, Conway Wesley, Rosewood West Memphis, Batesville Central Avenue and Cushman, Helena, Newport First and Conway First. He also served as superintendent of the Forrest City and Batesville Districts and was director of the North Arkansas Conference Council on Ministries. In 1982, he was an exchange pastor in London, England.

Active in many denomination-wide ministries, Rev. Beal was repeatedly elected to the church's highest legislative body, the quadrennial General Conference, and to its quadrennial South Central Jurisdiction Conference. In 1988, he was nominated as a candidate for bishop in the worldwide denomination.

After retirement, he organized and directed the Course of Study School for ministers, an extension of the Perkins School of Theology. He was widely considered an authority on Methodist history and the life of John Wesley.

Rev. Beal served in numerous leadership positions in United Methodism: chairman of the United Methodist Foundation of Arkansas, of the board of Methodist Health Systems, of the Arkansas United Methodist Museum; co-founder and later president of the United Methodist Historical Society of Arkansas; member of the Hendrix College Board of Trustees; member of the World Methodist Council, and member of numerous denomination-wide general boards.

He was a leader in the creation of the denomination's Disciple Bible Study, its Christian Believer study program and its Covenant Discipleship program.

He was a principal founder and developer of Mount Eagle Christian Center, a 1,000-acre conference facility near Clinton. The center's board of directors recently announced a new building would be named honoring the Beal family. The Beals' son, the late Rev. Roger Beal, also was instrumental in the development of the facility.

Throughout his years as a pastor, Rev. Beal felt very strongly about being active in civic groups in the communities in which he lived, and he had positions of leadership in several civic organizations. He enjoyed numerous activities with his family and friends, including camping, canoeing, woodworking, guitar and folk music and singing. He sang in many male quartets and community choirs.

A private family service of interment of ashes was held Monday morning, March 7. A public service of celebration followed at 2 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Conway with Pastors Charles Murry and Aubrietta Jones and Bishop Charles Crutchfield officiating.

Memorials may be made to the Mount Eagle Christian Center, 935 Beal Road, Clinton, AR 72031, or Hendrix College, 1600 Washington Ave., Conway, AR 72032.