BEESLEY, DR. JOSEPH R. - Dr. Joseph Ralph Beesley, Sr., 90, of Pinehurst passed away on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at Pinehurst Health & Rehab in Pinehurst. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. at Cox Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Allen Mashburn officiating. Burial will follow in Bethesda Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Dr. Beesley was born in Glen Falls, New Brunswick Canada on February 27, 1924 to Joseph Branhurst and Lillian Linten Beesley. Dr. Beesley attended the University of New Brunswick receiving his bachelor of science in 1947, McGill University receiving MD, CM in 1950, University of Toronto receiving his diploma in psychiatry in 1955 and was certified in psychiatry by the college of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 1956. He was the medical director of Sandhills Mental Health Center in the 70's in Pinehurst, NC. He also was a teaching professor at University of North Carolina. Throughout the years Dr. Beesley performed private practice, was the director of several mental health centers and medical director of hospitals. He spent his working career as a psychiatrist and was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather and friend and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor Esther Morehouse Beesley; four children, Pam Goldsmith and husband Steve of Virginia, Joseph R. Beesley, Jr of Canada, Sally Beesley Watson and husband Sam of Carthage, Susan Beesley Scurlock of King NC; one brother, Paul Beesley of New Brunswick Canada; seven grandchildren, Sammy, Jessica, Cassy, Christopher, Taylor, Joshua and Timothy; two great-grandchildren, Chase and Lila and a host of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Branhurst and Lillian Linten Beesley; one sister, Alice Moore; six brothers, Hartley, Raymond, Norman, Harold, Ken and James.
A visitation will be held at Cox Memorial Funeral Home on Friday, April 4, 2014 from 6 until 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a charity of one's choice. Condolences may be sent to www.coxmemorialfuneralhome.com.