LANSING – In his three-decade career as an obstetrician and gynecologist, Oliver Beamon subscribed to a well-known mantra. He called it “the six p’s.” Proper preparation prevents piss poor performance, he often said.
Beamon, Lansing’s first Black gynecologist, delivered thousands of babies, including two sets of triplets, during the 30 years he practiced and had a “next-level work ethic,” his daughter Kalei Beamon said.
Beamon began practicing at Sparrow Hospital in the 1970s. He was on the hospital’s Board of Directors in the 1990s and served as chief of staff of Obstetrics and Gynecology there.
His career pushed boundaries from the start. He made excellence a priority, Kalei said.
“I think he knew, especially coming up in the time frame that he came up in, that he had to be excellent,” she said. “I think coming up in his era, to even get an opportunity, it wasn’t good enough to be good. You had to be the best to get an opportunity, to get a fair shake.”
That, along with his humor, compassion and empathy, were among Beamon’s hallmarks until his retirement in the late 1990s. He died on Nov. 6 at age 88.
Those who knew him said he’ll be remembered as a steady presence in both his professional and personal life.
‘I don’t know how he balanced it all’
Born in Philadelphia, Beamon he earned a football scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania in the 1950s, was the only Black player on the team, and graduated as an All-American both for academics and his play on the field. He later earned his medical degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Beamon earned his medical and surgical license from the State of Michigan in 1964 before being drafted into the U.S. Army that same year. He served as a captain and doctor during the Vietnam War.
Beamon moved to Michigan after being honorably discharged in 1966. He married his wife Lehua and they raised three children.
After delivering his first baby, he was hooked on the specialty, Kalei said. His office on Michigan Avenue was located across from Sparrow Hospital.
“He loved babies, and I think he always had a respect for women and wanted to make sure they had great health care,” Kalei said.
“Dr. Beamon’s service to his community makes him an outstanding role model for young men and women,” reads a special tribute from then-Gov. James Blanchard in 1983. “He is an inspiration to all citizens.”
At home, Beamon was a steady and dependable parent who helped Kalei prepare for tennis matches at East Lansing High School and later, the University of Michigan, then showed up at events to cheer her on.
“I never felt like he wasn’t there,” she said. “I don’t know how he balanced it all, but he did.”
Still, Beamon often left their home in the middle of the night, during family dinners, or on the occasional holiday to deliver babies.
“Sometimes I’d hear the garage door open in the middle of the night,” Kalei said. “If someone’s having a baby at 2 a.m., you gotta go, or we’d be out at a restaurant and he’d get paged and have to go to the hospital. That was regular for us.”
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A calming presence
DeWitt resident Cindy Grider nearly died after her son Pierson was born in 1988. She was diagnosed with peritonitis after his birth, an infection of the peritoneum, which is a membrane lining the abdominal cavity, and spent three weeks in the hospital.
Her doctors told her she probably wouldn’t be able to have another baby. Then in 1991, she found out she was pregnant again. She and her husband Steve were terrified.
“When I got pregnant with my daughter, the first thing that came to mind was, ‘Is it going to happen again?'” Grider said.
Beamon, a family friend, became her doctor − and a confident, calming presence who led her through her pregnancy and the birth of her daughter, Elise, now 33.
On the day of her cesarean section, Grider said Beamon greeted her at the hospital with a smile on his face.
“He held my hand and told me I looked beautiful,” she said. “I was scared to death, and he reassured me everything was going to be alright. It was such a wonderful experience, and I was so worried it was going to turn sour.”
Kalei said her father cared about people, loved music and his family. He also taught her what it takes to be great at something.
“He taught me really what it takes to be successful, the work and preparation you need to succeed at a high level,” she said.
A “Celebration of Life” service for Beamon will be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 15 at Capital Prime in Lansing Township, located at 2324 Showtime Drive.
Beamon’s family is requesting donations in his memory be made to the University of Michigan Sparrow Health Foundation or the Lansing Capital Area Humane Society.
Contact Reporter Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on X @GrecoatLSJ.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Lansing’s first Black OBGYN Oliver Beamon delivered thousands of babies, left lasting legacy
Reporting by Rachel Greco, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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