Roanoke names residence hall in memory of Prof. Jean Beamer

Roanoke College President Michael Maxey announced today the College would name one of its residence halls in memory of Billie Jean Beamer, associate professor of physical education, emerita. Formerly known as Allegheny Hall, the residence hall overlooking Roanoke's Maroon Athletic Quad will renamed as Beamer Hall later this year. This will mark the first building on Roanoke's campus to be named for a woman.

Beamer taught health and physical education at Roanoke for 37 years and was an early advocate of women in sports. Beamer was a 1948 graduate of Andrew Lewis High School and a 1952 graduate of Roanoke College.  She received a master's degree from the University of Virginia.

After teaching at junior high schools, she returned to Roanoke in 1959 as an instructor in health and physical education. Beamer coached volleyball, basketball and tennis at Roanoke and assisted with the field hockey program. Beamer retired in 1997.

Beamer was inducted into the Roanoke College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1972 for her contribution to athletics at Roanoke and beyond. As a student at Roanoke, she played basketball and field hockey. Her highest honors came on varsity field hockey teams, where in 1952 she was selected to the All-State field hockey team.  From 1953-58, she was a member of the Blue Ridge field hockey first-team and the Southeast field hockey first-team - the equivalent of an All-American selection.

Beamer was the manager of the U.S. Field Hockey Touring Team to Guyana in 1969 and again to Argentina in 1973. She served as a national field hockey official and as president of the Southeastern Field Hockey Association. Beamer also was the chairperson for the Virginia Federation of College Women for basketball.  

Along with Roanoke Professor Fran Ramser, Beamer also traveled to China and Russia to study sports and physical education. The Ramser-Beamer room in the Colket Center was named in honor of the two professors several years ago.

Beamer died on Jan. 2, 2017. She created an estate bequest to the College when she passed. The gift was valued at approximately $2.7 million.