Robert Beardsley

Robert Mason Beardsley, age 74 of Gull Lake died Tuesday, January 27, 2015. He was born May 23, 1940, the only son of O.L. and Ethel Beardsley in Birmingham, Michigan. Bob grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, and attended Western Michigan University where he received a B.B.A. He began his business career at Doubleday Brothers in Kalamazoo as a sales representative and ad manager. He proceeded to marketing manager at Stryker, account supervisor at Biggs Advertising and then became owner, CEO and account supervisor for Beardsley & Company, a marketing communications agency for clients in material handling, office furniture, architecture & construction, food marketing, food additives, medical/surgical products, communications, staffing services, water treatment, machine tools and manufacturing equipment, plus a range of industrial and business to business products and services. In 1995, he became the owner and publisher of a regional business publication. In Bob's retirement, he was the owner/property manager of his office complex in Richland with his wife as a partner, keeping business tenants happy with office space and running the Personal Care Center, specializing in alternative healthcare solutions. He was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity; a member and former president of the Portage Jaycees; Portage Rotary; Richland Area Business Association; and the Gull Lake United Methodist Church where he sang in the choir. Bob enjoyed all types of music, particularly folk music and classic rock; spending time on the water both at Gull Lake and on Longboat Key, Florida. He played tennis, golf, and loved competitive sailing and spending time with friends and family; especially his grandchildren, Will and Libby. He leaves behind his wife of 51 years, Barbara (Bailey) Beardsley; daughter Christine (Edy) Marsan; son R. William (Molly) Baldwin Beardsley; grandchildren, William (Will), Elizabeth (Libby); Sisters Betty Freer, Judy (George) Updegrove; brother-in-law Frederick (Diana) Bailey, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service to celebrate Bob's life will take place at the Gull Lake United Methodist Church in Richland at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association , Southwest Region, 350 E Michigan Avenue, Suite 20, Kalamazoo, MI 49007.