Mary Beaman

Mary Beaman passed away on Feb. 16, 2022, at Hillcrest Hospital. At 40 years old, she died too young. Addiction may have taken her life, but it failed to ruin her memory of her.
Mary was born Aug. 19, 1981, to Tracey and John in Illinois, but as her family grew and changed so did her environment. She lived in North Dakota, Wisconsin, and even a short stint in New Jersey, but she lived the majority of her life in South Carolina.
Professionally, Mary worked in management for about 18 years in fields like telemarketing, customer service, and logistics. But the important titles to her were daughter, aunt, sister, grandchild, cousin, niece, and friend. She cherished her relationships above all else.
Mary’s personality was full of relatable contradictions. She loved her family and friends unconditionally, and while she may have held them in high regard, she also held them accountable. And she saw everything. Although she valued honesty and loyalty – and lived by those values – she could also be very forgiving. She didn’t limit a person to their beliefs, title, or mistakes. She instead reserved judgment and accepted them for who they were. She was the type of person who could talk to anyone and all too often, she put others ahead of herself.
As a young girl, Mary was a gymnast and played the violin in orchestra class. As she grew older, she became more interested in crafts. She made jewelry and decorative goods that ranged in style from homegrown to shocking. As a consumer, she gravitated toward thrift stores, could always spot a deal, or would negotiate a price. She also enjoyed collecting junk, but she straddled the line between trash and treasure and managed to find items that she could use, repair, or sell.
And Mary absolutely loved animals. Her dog Kora was the love of her life. She said dogs gave her greater meaning and purpose. Throughout her life, she had a variety of pets that included not just dogs but also cats, a rabbit, a ferret, an iguana, and even a rat. She loved all of God's creatures great and small.
Mary is survived by her mother Tracey and her husband Mike; her favorite brother Daniel, his wife Erin, and their children Declan and Maisie; her brother David and his wife Amanda; her brother Josh; her step-father Steve; and a legion of relatives and friends she considered family. She was preceded in death by her grandparents Alfred and Ruth Ann.
Mary’s friends and family gathered for a Celebration of Life in her memory on Feb. 20, 2022. Her ashes were scattered on the property she owned and loved; by the graves of her grandparents, who she loved deeply; and the remainder were kept by her family.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Hospice of the Upstate or the Greenville Humane Society.
Gateway, a mental health resource for adults in upstate South Carolina, or to the Second Chance Fund, a no-kill animal shelter in Greenville County.