Jack Beerman

February 27, 1948 ~ June 22, 2024

A strong, loving heart stopped beating on June 22, 2024. Jack Beerman, age 76, passed away with his loving wife, cherished daughter, and favorite (and only) son-in-law present, as he had hoped.

Jack graduated from Carnegie High School in 1966, and went to work in a steel mill, like his father. He was drafted into the US Army in 1967 and served honorably in Vietnam 1968-1969 as a Combat Infantryman, 9th Division. He was in the Mobile Riverine Force, stationed in the Mekong Delta, where Agent Orange was heavily sprayed, and it finally caught up with him; to kill another soldier of that awful, unnecessary war. He attended CCAC on the GI Bill, and earned an Associate of Science Degree for Business & Industrial Mgmt., while concurrently working at the steel mill. Steel was in his blood and he worked at various mills over the years. He became a Journeyman Millwright in 1977.

When he came home from Vietnam he met his future wife, Mary, and they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last September. Jack gave her the 2 dozen red roses he had been promising if they made 50 years together. She had given him a more special gift years before; his beloved daughter, Mandy, who he loved more than life itself. His first words to me after she was born were, “Isn’t she beautiful?” He was so pleased that she was a big baby since he was a big man and was nervous to hold a tiny one. He was born to be a father and he was the best! They were 2 peas in a pod, and loved making Mary laugh with their matching cheesy grins.

Mary always bragged that he was the strongest man she ever knew. He worked hard as a steelworker and millwright, took excellent care of his family, worked too much overtime, maintained the vehicles, did the yard work, and an enormous amount of DIY projects at our family home he built; and in 2 homes that our daughter and son-in-law owned. He rarely took any time for himself. He truly was a Jack-of-all-trades, and could fix anything. He had no time for hobbies, although he did enjoy hunting deer in his younger years. What little free time he had was spent relaxing in his recliner with a cold beer; watching old Westerns, cooking and gold-hunting shows, Steeler and Penguin games; usually falling asleep before any show ended. When he retired from the mill, Mandy and Mark took him on a trip to the Grand Canyon, which he had always wanted to see. But he missed working and being around other people, as he was very social and outgoing. So, he went to work part-time as the Maintenance Supervisor at Holy Trinity Church and made a lot of new friends. He loved working there.

Jack was the beloved husband of Mary (Kuberek) Beerman, the cherished “Pa” of Mandy Yakubisin, and her husband Mark, who he loved like a son. He was the only son of the late Pearl and Frank Beerman, who passed away when Jack was only 4; favorite son-in-law of the late Karl and Mary Kuberek; brother-in-law to Sue, Jim, Keith, and the late Skip, Karl and Dale Kuberek; uncle to Morgen (Andy) Wade, and their daughter, Lauren. He was a friend to many, and he will be dearly missed by those who loved him, especially Mary and Mandy. We don’t know how we will get along without him.

Jack’s favorite animals were cats and dogs. We had too many cats to mention, inside and outside; and dogs, Brandi and Maggie; and 2 favorite chowhound grand-dogs, Jake and the late, great River, who could steal your sandwich and swallow it whole before you knew it was missing! Jack would be happy to know that people donated to the Humane Animal Rescue, 6926 Hamilton Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15208, in his memory.

There was no visitation as Jack wished, and he will be interred at The National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, with all the other Heroes of too many wars.

I will miss you forever, my dear Jack, and I hope to join you someday soon. It’s been such a short time that you’ve been gone, and I already can’t handle life without you. You are my rock and my Hero. Love you forever, Mary.