John C "Jim" Beam (88) of Effingham

John C. “Jim” Beam, 89, of Effingham was called home by his Lord and Savior on Thursday, February 10, 2022, at his home with his companion Heather at his side.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery with military rites. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Jim Beam's Corner Cattery at www.BeamsCorner.com. Online condolences may be shared by clicking here. 

Jim was born on January 29, 1933, in Tucson, AZ, the son of Robert and Virginia (Adkins) Beam. When Jim was 8 the family moved to Newton, Illinois to help relatives on the farm. After Jim graduated from Newton High School, he was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War and served as an operating room technician. When he returned home to the family farm, "Rockin B Ranch" also locally known as "Beam's Corner", he was then commissioned by the Army to catalogue and inventory the now unused helicopters and tanks on bases throughout the Unites States. 

Jim eventually moved to St. Louis and enjoyed a long and successful career as the General Sales Manager for McBride Homebuilders. This is where he found his beloved Maddy. They married and were together for over 30 years. Jim had a passion for fine art and later on in life took his silk floral import business to Wall Street. 

Animal advocacy was Jim's true passion. He, along with Maddy, Sally Perles and Mary Ellen Eversman founded the well-known foster based rescue EARS. He and Maddy purchased the building for Effingham Humane Society. Jim and Heather together with Chief Warden Michelle Shoot took Effingham  Animal Control from being a high kill shelter to "no kill" with prayers and support from local animal lovers. They petitioned the City of Effingham for 2 years to add an expansion onto the existing building. It happened. Jim's final animal project, Jim Beam's Corner Cattery, a feline rescue, is situated 3 miles north of Effingham. 

Jim is survived by his late wife Maddy’s children: Cheri Haas (Dan) and Robert "Bob" Nagel, his sister Dorothy Lobmeier, dear friend Stacey Peters and companion Heather Mumma. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother L.E. (Lawrence) Beam; and wife Maddy Beam.

Jim will forever be known as "The Voice of the Animals" and a friend to many.