Mayor of Mount Airy, North Carolina
July 19,1969 through February 19, 1993
City Commissioner December 18, 1995 through December 17,1999

THE BRIDGE

A FRAME OF STEEL, CEMENT, WIRE AND IRON
OVER A SMALL, SLOW MOVING BODY OF WATER
HUNDREDS OF CARS CROSS ITS SPAN EACH DAY
AND THE DRIVERS NEVER THINK TO WONDER.

THE “W M BEAMER BRIDGE” THE SIGN PROCLAIMS
THE LETTERS BOLD AND EASILY READ
AND ONE DRIVES ON TO REACH HIS DESTINATION
AND NO THOUGHT GIVEN TO THE NAME.

A NAME IS MORE THAN JUST A WRITTEN WORD
MORE THAN STEEL, WIRE AND MORTAR
MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER BRIDGE TO CROSS
THE MAN GIVES THE BRIDGE ITS HONOR.

THE BEAMER BRIDGE DENOTES A SOUL,
A MAN WHO DWELLS AMONG US,
WHO GIVES HIS BEST TO HIS FELLOWMAN
AND COUNTS EACH DAY A BLESSING.

THE VISION WAS THERE, THE GOOD TO PRESERVE
HE LISTENED AS EACH ONE HAD THEIR SAY
BUT FIRM HE STOOD, WITH A VISION CLEAR
HE MADE A DIFFERENCE. HIS A PROVEN WAY.

SO WHEN YOU COME TO THE BEAMER BRIDGE
IT’S MORE THAN STEEL AND MORTAR,
IT’S A DEDICATION TO A MAN WHO CARES
ABOUT OTHERS, HIS GOD, HIS TOWN AND COUNTRY.

This was written August 23, 2001 for a man I greatly admired as do the citizens of Mount Airy. Mayor Beamer served with distinction and honor and he will always be "Mr. Mayor" to me. God bless you and give you many more years of good health and caring for our town and citizens.