Gene Edward Beimforde was born Jun 23, 1934 in Cincinnati, OH, to Genevieve Beimforde nee Schilling and Edward John Beimforde, Jr. Tragically, Genevieve died shortly after giving birth and Gene was raised by his paternal grandparents, Clara Seiler Beimforde and Edward John Beimforde Sr. His maternal grandparents were Mary Conroy Schilling and Henry Schilling. His aunt Madge (Mimi) Lammerding was a loving influence throughout his life, and visited him by train from Cincinnati frequently at West Point. Mimi’s dedication included a cold train trip for Christmas 1953, Gene’s plebe year (those being the days when plebes were not permitted to leave the Post at any time), to deliver her signature brownies.
Gene excelled in academics and was a lifelong learner. He was the Valedictorian of St. William School in Price Hill, Cincinnati, OH (1947), and Valedictorian of his class at Elder High School, Cincinnati, OH (1951). Gene won a scholarship to Xavier University in Cincinnati to study Latin. He attended Xavier for two years before receiving a congressional appointment to both the Naval Academy and West Point.
During his years at West Point, Gene was known to friends as “Pyzono,” served as Editor in Chief and Chairman of the Board of the Howitzer and in that capacity had the honor of meeting President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Class of 1915. He graduated with the raucous Black ’57 who will all remember how they broke and ran across the Plain at the conclusion of graduation ceremonies.
Gene served in the United States Air Force as a RB-47E pilot assigned to the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing of the Strategic Air Command (SAC). One of his missions included flying over Cuba preceding the Bay of Pigs crisis. He retired from active service on September 9, 1963 with the rank of Captain.
Gene’s professional accomplishments include: Graduate, Harvard Business School (1962), Director Flight Operations, American Airlines (1968-1970), Advanced Studies at Wharton Business School (University of Pennsylvania) and UCLA Extension.
Gene married Marla Leuenberger in August of 1963 and had two children, Justin Beimforde (Hermosa Beach, CA) and Gabrielle Beimforde Samuels (Los Angeles, CA). The marriage ended in 1991. Family members include Heather Beimforde (Justin’s wife), Howard C. Samuels (Gabrielle’s husband) and grandchildren, Genevieve Beimforde, Cooper Samuels, Greer Samuels and Chase Samuels.
Gene was a devout member of the Roman Catholic Church. His interests included history, travel, classical music, and opera.
Speaking of opera, roommate Robert Faulkender offers “The Gene I Knew”:
“The quilt of fall colors blanketing the Catskill Mountains went unnoticed, for the most part, by members of West Point’s newest class. It was fall 1952. I was no exception, and neither were my new roommates Gene Beimforde and Bill Koch. We concentrated on keeping as invisible as possible while still meeting the requirements of the moment. It meant staying in your room for as long as possible and talking only to classmates, unless forced to do otherwise.
“Having a compatible roommate went a very long way to making plebe year livable, and I was blessed.
“Geno had been a year at Xavier University in Cincinnati, and I had been a year at University of Colorado. Between the Jesuits at Xavier and Sigma Chi at Colorado, the two of us had a higher tolerance for harassment than our freshly minted high school graduate from ‘small town’ Midwest. Bill was a nice guy—likeable, gregarious, and with all the naiveté of a football hero from a 600-student school. He was a magnet for trouble which provided perfect cover for me and Gene. Bill received all the upper classman attention while Gene and I just kept our mouths shut or managed, ‘No excuse, sir,’ when forced to speak. Gene tried to coach Bill, but the kid just did not have the self control to keep his eyes front and his mouth shut.
“By Christmas we had a new roommate, Steve Glick, who like Gene and I was an only child and, like us, had spent a year at college before entering the military academy. The difference was that Steve had gone to Virginia Military Institute. He knew everything military—at least we all thought so, including Steve.
“When it came to plebe year survival, we believed we were a good team and signed up to room together again our sophomore year.
“Being yearlings brought a few privileges, such as a phonograph in our room. And choices in music…opportunities to express individual taste…clashes of will. Gene’s taste went to opera. Of course, at the time Steve and I objected vociferously to La Traviata and La Bohème. I even cut a deal; if Gene played opera, I played Christmas music. Steve got caught between the Barber of Seville and ‘A Partridge In A Pear Tree.’
“The next fall new chapters began, but, my introduction to the marshal life started with Gene Beimforde who exposed me to the sounds of opera and even to their librettos.
“What a marvelous gift it is when a person enters your life—brief as it might be—and leaves a marker that forever reminds you of how special that relationship was. I have come to enjoy opera. Each time I hear the strains of one of my favorite works I think warmly of the friend who taught me how to appreciate the classic art.
“I am forever grateful, my friend.”
The friendships Gene formed at West Point would continue on throughout his life. Some of his warmest memories included visits from classmates and class reunions. As his health began to decline in his later years, it was the love and support of his friends from the Class of ’57, lead by Bill Wright, that sustained Gene and his family.