Billy Dale Beal
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Billy Dale Beal, 79, Harrisburg, passed away at 8:05 a.m. Friday, June 17, 2011, at Saline Care Center.
He was born on March 20, 1932, in Harrisburg, the son of Alonzo and Anna Mae Dodd Beal.
He attended Harrisburg schools and was an Army veteran. Billy worked for National Life and Accident Insurance Co. and he retired from the city of Harrisburg as the custodian of City Hall.
Billy was a local historian, one of the founders of the Saline County Genealogical Society. He was one of the organizers for the Sesquicentennial for Harrisburg. He was also the grand marshal for the Holiday Lights Parade in 2006. He had worked the box seat section of the Saline County Fair since 1973. He loved Harrisburg and spent a lot of time after retiring making talks at different clubs, schools and the college and answering the phone, answering questions from people about the history of Harrisburg.
He married the former Helen Phillips on Dec. 31, 1955, at Galatia.
Survivors include his wife, Helen; two daughters, Nedra (Robert) Jones and Lori Beal Price, all of Harrisburg; one brother, Alonzo Jr. (Delia) Beal of Lexington, Tenn.; one sister, Dolores (Robert) Dunn of Marion; one grandson, Hunter Chance Price, who is following in his grandfather's footsteps as a historian; a stepgrandson, Caleb Jones; and one aunt, Lenora Kurto of Harrisburg.
Funeral services were held 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, 2011, at the J.M. Weirauch Funeral Home with Dr. Harrison Peyton officiating. Burial will follow in Sunset Lawn Cemetery. Friends called from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, June 20, 2011, at the J.M. Weirauch Funeral Home in Harrisburg.