William Robert Beardslee, known to family and friends as Bill, passed away peacefully at Hospice House of St. Mary's in Callaway, MD, on May 10, 2025 from an overdose of Breezeline's smooth jazz cable channel. He was 81 years old.

Born on February 18, 1944, in Washington, D.C., Bill was the son of Flossie (Galemore) Beardslee of Bessemer, AL, and Albert Beardslee of Raleigh, NC. Bill grew up in Arlington, VA, and graduated (he would say "barely") from Yorktown High School in 1962. Summers during his youth were spent largely unsupervised in Riverbend Park, VA, sparking Bill's lifelong appreciation for self-reliance, fishing, and canned meats.

Though he initially envisioned a bright future as an itinerant welder or night gas station attendant, a class in radio theory set him on a different course. He earned admission to Keyser Junior College and later Virginia Tech, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1967.

After graduation Bill began a long career with the U.S. Department of Defense at Webster Field, eventually becoming the lead Navy authority on the LAMPS shipboard data system. He thoroughly enjoyed his work and was proud of the teams he worked with and the programs he supported. He retired in 2002 but found himself back in the workforce months later, motivated by a newly adopted family member (a 26' Shamrock fishing boat) and an expensive striped bass habit. He worked part-time for EMA (later SAIC) until 2020, splitting his work hours between supporting various Navy initiatives and surfing the web for fishing tackle.

Bill met the love of his life, Catherine (Kate) Schluckebier Beardslee, on a blind date in 1969. They married in 1970 in Warminster, PA, and shared 54 years together of family dinners, beach/fishing vacations, laughter, and raising and supporting children and grandchildren. They made their home in Ridge, MD, where Bill lived from 1972 until his passing.

He is survived by his beloved wife Kate; their three children, Jennifer Groseclose (Danny) of Leonardtown, MD, Suzanne Fore (Steve) of Ridge, MD, and Michael Beardslee (Natalia) of Chantilly, VA; and six cherished grandchildren: Shelby Sanders, Matthew Sanders, Sarah Fore, Karolina Beardslee, Thomas Beardslee, and Sofia Beardslee. He was predeceased by his sister, Norma Louise Yescavage, and his parents.

Bill was known for his sense of humor, a trait which is apparently hereditary and has resulted in his family members stalking each other with a headless Barbie doll. He enjoyed fishing, listening to music (especially "Alice's Restaurant"), Monty Python movies, tinkering in his garage, and "Meeting" with friends, but most of all he enjoyed spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren. He was dearly loved by his family and many friends and will be missed by all who knew him.

A celebration of Bill's life will be held on Monday, May 19th at Brinsfield Funeral Home (22955 Hollywood Rd, Leonardtown, MD 20650) from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon, with a Memorial Prayer recited at 11:30 a.m. Inurnment will be private. The family asks that you honor his memory by drowning some bait, banging two coconut halves together, or fixing something that doesn't really need fixing.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to St. Mary's Hospice (https://giving.medstarhealth.org/medstarhealth/get-involved/donate/hospice), the Ridge Volunteer Rescue Squad (mail to P.O. Box 456, Ridge, MD 20680), or the Second District Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad (mail to P.O. Box 1, Valley Lee, MD 20692, or https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/SDVFDRS).


Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A.