Myrna Marie (Andrews) Beam

Myrna Marie Andrews Beam went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, May 29, 2021 after a hard fought battle with cancer.  Myrna was born on December 5, 1949 to Dock Franklin Andrews and Lottie Terrell Andrews in Hillsborough, NC.  She was the third born of eight children, and the oldest daughter.  She grew up in HIllsborough, attended Orange High School and eventually earned her GED in 1991.  She lived her life in Hillsborough, Durham and Burlington, NC.  Myrna worked as a machinist for Parker Hannifin Corp and retired from Allfab Solutions, Inc in Graham after 15 years as a machinist and administrative assistant. 

Myrna had the free spirit of a child and the heart of a lion.  She loved to shop for deals, eat out with friends (especially oysters at the beach), and had an eye for decorating and fashion!  But most of all, she loved Jesus with all her heart and became an active member of Brookwood Baptist Church in Burlington, and then a founding member of Brookwood’s church plant, Life Fellowship in Graham.  Life Fellowship ultimately merged with Hocutt Baptist Church to become New Life at Hocutt in Burlington where she continued to serve faithfully throughout her life.   

Before this, however, Myrna made some bad choices in her life:  she became addicted to drugs and ended up serving a year in jail in the 1990s.  While there, she was ministered to through the jail ministry and came to know Jesus in a very personal way.  With His help, she completely turned her life around and openly shared her testimony of “God’s Extreme Makeover.”  She dedicated her life to serving the Lord in any way she could including: God’s Closet Clothing MInistry; The Vine Food Ministry; Wednesday Night Adventures for at-risk children in her church community; Steel Magnolias of Alamance County, of which she was one of four founders, serving women and former offenders; and Alamance County Jail Ministry.  She volunteered with Living Free MInistries, serving those struggling with drug and alcohol addictions, as well as Connect 4 Faith Ministries, which works to prevent child sexual abuse.  She served on the Welcoming Committee at New Life at Hocutt Church as an usher and greeter, and she travelled several times to Romania and Spain to serve the people there in the name of Jesus.  

Though Myrna never had any children of her own, she loved them, and she “adopted” many people into her family on those mission trips, as well as here in NC.  She loved family gatherings, and it didn’t matter whose family it was because she soon became one of them!  Myrna affected many lives of all ages in all walks of life.  She is remembered as a high spirited, fun, determined person (some might say stubborn :-), who never met a stranger, loved Jesus and loved people.

Myrna is survived by six of her siblings: Dennis Andrews of Hillsborough; David Andrews and wife, Carol of Pittsboro; Debra Baker of Graham; Donnie Andrews of Hillsborough; Pam Sykes and husband, Billy of Hillsborough; and Kelly Stroud of Mocksville.  She also has a multitude of nieces and nephews.

Myrna was preceded in death by her father, Dock Andrews in 1985, her brother Darrell Andrews in 1978 and her mother, Lottie Andrews in 2017.

A memorial “Celebration of Life” service will be held at 11am on Thursday, June 10th at New Life at Hocutt, 302 Logan St, Burlington, officiated by her beloved pastor, Mark Stewart. The service will be streamed live on the church Facebook page. The family will receive friends prior to the service at 10 am.  

Myrna’s loved ones would like to thank Mimi K McLaughlin, PA-C and her team at Kernodle Clinic-West, as well as Timothy Finnegan, MD and his team at the Cone Health Cancer Center at ARMC for their loving care of Myrna over the years.  She truly loved each of you. And thank you also to her many friends and family members who loved her and cared for her over the course of her life.

Online condolences may be made at www.omegafsc.com.  In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made in Myrna’s memory to one of two funds dear to Myrna’s heart:  First, Steel Magnolias of Alamance County which serves women, particularly former offenders, those struggling with substance abuse and/or domestic violence.  You may send a check to Steel Magnolias of AC, ℅ Greater Love Outreach Ministries, 537 S Ireland, Burlington, NC 27217.  Another choice is The Patricia G. Bynum Fund, a cancer patient fund at ARMC helping patients in need with medical supplies, basic needs, food and gas cards.  You may give at this link: https://www.conehealthphilanthropy.org/giving/donate/ or mail a check to Patricia G. Bynum Fund, ℅ ARMC Foundation Gift Processing, P.O. Box 202, Burlington, NC 27216.  In either case, please write Myrna’s name in the memo line.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” --Romans 8:38-39 NIV

SPECIAL NOTE:  if you would like to speak at Myrna’s service about the impact she had on your life, please send a direct message to her Facebook page.

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