Chuck Beveridge, former USMCCCA art director dies
Chuck Beveridge at Iwo Jima. (Courtesy of Hoover Public Library)
Update: Charles W. “Chuck” Beveridge(1925 – 2016)
Charles W. “Chuck” Beveridge, retired creative director and artist and recipient of the Purple Heart after being wounded on Iwo Jima in World War II, died Wednesday. He was 90.
Beveridge joined the Marines at 17 with permission from his parents and fought in some of the Pacific Theater’s most significant battles from January 1944 through October of 1945. He fought with the Fourth Marine Division on Roi Namur, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima, where he watched the flag raised on Mount Suribachi from a hospital ship after being wounded.
He recovered from the wound he received during the amphibious landing and rejoined the battle for Iwo Jima. Beveridge, who never graduated high school, began his highly successful career as an artist at Leatherneck magazine, where he worked two stints, 1946-1948 and then 1952-1955.
A talented artist with a brilliant creative mind, he worked for many advertising agencies around the country and founded his own studios in New Orleans and Florida. He retired from Birmingham Magazine and continued to work freelance well into his 80s.
He was a member of St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Hoover. He is survived by his loving wife Mary, three daughters, Harriett (Coby) Bethke, of Silver Springs, MD; Judi (Paul) Sherman, Lewis, DE; Linda (Daniel) Bailey, Birmingham, AL, nine grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Family requests that donations be made to the Howlin’ Mad Smith Detachment of the Marine Corps League, 1515 Bent River Circle, Birmingham., AL 35216. Donations also can be made at the funeral home.
The funeral will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Ridout’s Valley Chapel in Homewood with visitation at 10 a.m. The family invites friends, after the service, for a reception at Valley Chapel’s Edgewood Parlor.
Funeral Home
Ridout’s Valley Chapel
1800 Oxmoor Road Homewood, AL 35209
(205) 879-3401
Published in The Birmingham News on Nov. 6, 2016
Walt Ford writes: Mary Beveridge just called to report that Chuck passed away last night (November 3, 2016). An aneurysm burst. A memorial service is being planned for Wednesday, Nov. 9, The local Marine Corps League is assisting Mary. Chuck is to be cremated.
As most of you know, he was in a great deal of pain in recent years. His bones were so brittle, a hard cough could break a rib. He will be greatly missed. I looked for my copy of Chuck’s book, “Sea Stories and Fairy Tales,” and while it’s hiding now, I’ll find it again to reread some of his tales– Chuck was fond of saying that some names were changed to protect the guilty.
Chuck was among the first to welcome me to Leatherneck and the CCs…He was proud of his two tours on the Leatherneck staff, and looking back, I’m very pleased that we were able to get he and Cy “Leprechaun” O’Brien back to Iwo Jima in 2010.
CCHQ will post more info as we recieve it.