In Memory of Richard Beal (October 20, 1944 – July 7, 2021)

We offer our condolences to the family and colleagues of the Rev. Richard F. Beal who died on July 7, 2021, at the age of 76.

Richard was born in Brunswick, ME on October 20, 1944. Five months after his birth, he was adopted by Blanche and Edmund Beal (a Unitarian Universalist minister). The family lived in Claremont, NH and Harrisville, RI before setting in Saco, ME. Richard attended Thornton Academy, graduating in 1962. He then went to Goddard College, Plainfield, VT and worked in the Children’s Unit of Metropolitan State Hospital, MA as a Nurse Attendant. Following three years of work at the hospital, he made a trip to Europe where he first visited the Unitarians in Transylvania; four months later, he returned to the United States and married Joan Schumacher.

While deciding what to do with their lives, Richard and Joan spent five years managing the Homestead Project, a residential home/farm for teenagers in Maine, after which they moved to Boston to manage a private half-way house for twenty-four adults. Richard attended a Cambridge Forum session on ministry and was determined to apply to Harvard Divinity School, MA. He wanted to become a UU minister to continue in the direction he had been going but now more consciously. In 1978, he entered Harvard Divinity School. While his practical ministerial training was completed in the academic year 1980/81, he served as a DRE at the Melrose UU Church, MA. In 1982, he received his Master of Divinity.

Rev. Beal was ordained to the UU ministry by the First Parish in Malden, MA and the Melrose Unitarian Universalist Church, MA on March 7, 1982. His first pastorates were in two yoked churches in rural Maine, the First Universalist Church of Dexter and The UU Church of Sangerville & Dover Foxcroft. He served the Dexter and Sangerville churches from 1982 to 1986, helped establish church schools in each church and a joint youth group, and both churches began their community ministry and social justice activities.

In 1986, Rev. Beal accepted a call as Senior Minister from the First Unitarian Church, Louisville, KY. During his ministry, the church became an official “Welcoming Congregation” and was the most active church in Louisville in promoting the Fairness Amendment, an extension of civil and human rights protections to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender persons. After serving fifteen years (1986-2001), he sought ministry in the Unitarian Church in Auckland, New Zealand. Upon his departure, First Unitarian Church in Louisville designated him as Minister Emeritus. He served in Auckland for four months. He then returned to the United States and was hired as a DRE at the Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church, Louisville, KY (now All Peoples) (2002-2005). As a DRE, he was also engaged as an interim minister at the Emerson Church UU, Troy, MI (2004-2006).

From 2006 to 2007, Rev. Beal served the UU Church of Brunswick, ME as an Interim Minister. In 2007, the First Universalist Church of Norway UU, ME and the First Universalist Church, West Paris, ME called Rev. Beal to serve their joint ministry. He served both the congregations until June 2011 and retired on August 31, 2011. The First Universalist Church, West Paris, ME honored him as their minister emeritus in 2011.

Rev. Beal was active in many UUA, district, civil, political, social service, and interfaith organizations. He was an active member of Northeast District Chapter of the UUMA, where he also served as District President (1985-1986), and board member of the Project Harvest Hope. He served the Ohio Valley District Chapter of the UUMA (as Good Offices person in 1987 and 1988) and the UUA Board-appointed Urban Church and Ministry Committee (1987-1991). Between 1992 and 1999, Rev. Beal was a founding member and Executive Committee member with several different portfolios of the UUA Partner Church Council. He also served as a Ministerial Settlement Representative (1997-2002) for the Ohio Valley District of the UUA.

Rev. Beal wrote for the UUMA’s “First Days Record” for several years and had prayers, services, etc. in several UU collections. Several sermons and other pieces were translated into Hungarian and published in Unitarian journals in Transylvania/Hungary.

Participation in community affairs and issues was an important part of Rev. Beal’s ministry. He served as a Chaplain at the Midwest Leadership School held at Beloit College in Southern Wisconsin. He was a lifetime member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and a founding member of the Religious Leaders for Fairness, a clergy group advocating civil and human rights for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender persons in Louisville, KY. Likewise, he was an adjunct faculty teaching UU History and Polity at Bangor Theological Seminary, ME and Louisville Presbyterian Seminary, KY and also served as a guest lecturer at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, KY.

In Kentucky, Rev. Beal served as a board member of the Kentucky Civil Liberties Union; as board member and Vice President of the HELP Ministries of Central Louisville; and as a founding member of the Metro Louisville Inter-Religious Coalition for Civil Rights. He was a member of two other clergy groups: Interdenominational Ministerial Coalition (primarily an African American group), and Downtown Clergy Association (entirely European American membership).

In 2002, Rev. Beal was the recipient of the “Living the Mission Award”, presented by the Partner Church Council at the General Assembly Awards Breakfast in Quebec. He also received the annual “Excellence in Psychiatric Nursing Award” of the Mass. Mental Health Association.

In his spare time, Richard enjoyed reading history, biography, national and international affairs, essays, poetry, travel writings, popular science, devotional literature, biblical criticism, mysteries, and fiction. He loved gardening, walking, and cooking special event meals.

Richard is survived by his wife, Joan; his son, Barney (Liz) and grandson, Jayden; his sister-in-law, Pamela Beal; as well as his nieces, nephews, and in-laws. He was predeceased by his parents, and his brother, Donald.

A celebration of Richard’s life will take place at 11 am on September 11, 2021, at the First Universalist Church of Norway, 479 Main St, Norway, ME 04268.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First Universalist Church of Norway, 479 Main St, Norway, ME 04268 or to the First Unitarian Church of Louisville, 809 South Fourth Street, Louisville, KY 40203 or to the UU Partner Church Council, 483 E. Lockwood, Suite 109, St. Louis, MO 63119.

Notes of condolences may be sent to Joan S. Beal at 15 Crescent St, Norway, ME 04268.