Dr. Don M. Beach will be remembered as an outstanding contributor to public and postsecondary education and a mentor to his students, colleagues, school leaders, and members of his community. As an educator who served in a variety of educational roles for over 50 years, Dr. Beach’s influence has impacted thousands of educational leaders and students in public education. Personally, Don consistently contributed to his church and his community in Stephenville, Texas.
Don received numerous prestigious awards that honored his service to others and his accomplishments in the profession. In 2005, he was a recipient of Tarleton’s O. A. Grant Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2008, the Texas A&M University System named him a Regent's Professor to honor his contributions as an educator. In 2015, he was inducted into Tarleton’s Crystal Apple Society for the positive impact he made on his students’ lives. Don was also honored with the Educator of the Year Award by the Texas Council of Professors of Educational Administration in 2016. In addition, he received the Ted Booker Award from the Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education and the Laureate Award from the Association of Teacher Educators.
Don served in a variety of roles in his educational career. He was a public school educator before transitioning to higher education. He taught at the University of Texas in Arlington for 8 years prior to departing for Tarleton State University. At Tarleton, he was a former Dean of the College of Education and served as a faculty member for over 40 years. He was a member of Tarleton’s Faculty Senate, including one term as president, and served for numerous years on various committees representing his academic department at the university. Don often served as a lecturer at professional conferences and authored more than 50 journal articles. He also authored and co-authored nine books on supervision and educational leadership including, Supervisory Leadership: Focus on Instruction, co-authored with Judy Reinhartz. As part of his legacy, Don very recently created the ‘Beach Family Doctoral Fellowship Endowment’ for the purpose of supporting future doctoral students at Tarleton State University.
Don served as a COPIS member for many years. As a result of his love for the organization, he was quick to welcome and engage with new members and current members alike. He encouraged and supported the organization’s initiatives and contributed to many spirited debates at COPIS meetings. He will be fondly remembered as a passionate educator who was devoted to the fields of teaching and supervision. Don will most definitely ‘leave a mark’ in the hearts of many for years to come.
Written by Juanita Reyes and Steve Gordon in a tribute to Don M. Beach (August 10, 2023).