Funeral Services for Kirk Alan Beumel, age 59, of Ruston, will be at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home Chapel of Ruston.  Officiating will be Mr. Eric Guillory, under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home.  Visitation will be prior to the service from 1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. A virtual Zoom option is also available. Reception to follow at Louisiana Center for the Blind, Railroad Entrance, 101 South Trenton Street, Ruston, Louisiana, 71270.

Kirk Beumel was born on April 6, 1964, to Nancy Drennan of Marysville, California. Kirk passed away November 29, 2023, from complications following heart surgery. He was surrounded by his family and devoted wife, Jewel, who did not leave his side.

Kirk served as the Louisiana Center for the Blind residential manager for the last several years.  Since graduating from LCB in 2001, he was an active member of the North Central Chapter of the NFBL and served as treasurer and board member for several years. He knew how training at the Louisiana Center for the Blind and membership in the NFB had positively changed his life and views about blindness. He wanted to find ways to share this with others. He worked diligently, traveling to Boston to attend Perkins School for the Blind to become a Level 3 brailler repair specialist. Kirk then opened his company, Brailler Repair of Louisiana (BRL). He was passionate about access to braille, especially blind youth.

Kirk was always ready to help when needed at the Center.  He was their “Grill Master” and loved to work with students and blind youth on grilling.

Some of Kirk’s hobbies included: collecting pocket knives, beer steins, audio books, and descriptive movies. He was a master knife sharper and shared this talent with the LCB students. With his many interests, Kirk also pursued HAM Radio operating for the past 22 years with his call sign KD5NWZ.

He spent his life as a beloved husband, father, grandpa, cherished colleague, mentor, and friend to all. Kirk was always ready with a quip to make you laugh.  He will be greatly missed!

Kirk is preceded in death by his mother, Nancy Drennan and father, Chester Brown, and his stepmother Karen Brown.

He is survived by his loving wife, Jewel Ardoin; daughter, Susan Taurone and husband Donald of Enid, Oklahoma, and also by his sons, Alan Beumel of Pearland, Texas, Ryan Beumel and wife Jessica of Conway, Arkansas, and Matthew Beumel of Clinton, Arkansas; grandchildren, Logan Pierce Taurone, Logan David Beumel, Selena Elizabeth Beumel, and William Ryker Beumel; siblings, Stacey Sadouly of Hot Springs, AR; Brian Brown and wife Tammy of Benton, AR; and Kyle Brown and wife Evgeniia of Conway, AR; along with numerous nieces, nephews, extended and loving friends and his Louisiana Center for the Blind family.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made in his honor to Louisiana Center for the Blind.

Online condolences may be extended to the family at www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com

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Topic: Kirk Beumel Memorial Service

Time: Dec 9, 2023 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

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