BOMBER MEMORIAL

ELAINE JOYCE BEERS HAGAN ~ Class of 1967
October 31, 1948 - December 27, 2014

Elaine Beers - 9th Grade ~ Elaine Beers - 9th Grade Most Studious

Elaine Beers - Junior Picture ~ Elaine Beers - Senior Picture

Elaine Beers - Recent

Written by Elaine's husband, David:

"Elaine was born on October 31, 1948 at St. Anthony's Hospital in Pendleton, OR to Georgia and Freeman Beers. Her family lived in Kennewick, but she attended Carmichael Junior High School and graduated with the Class of 1967 from Richland's Columbia High School as Richland had so many resources for blind children.

Elaine had three siblings: Darrell (deceased), Judith "Jude" (living in Kennewick) and Duane (deceased). Both Elaine and her brother, Darrell, had genetic defects that left them blind by the age of eight. There were an unusually large number of blind children in Elaine's post-war generation because they were given too much oxygen at birth. Most of her nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-great-nieces live in Salem, OR.

She and David Hagan met at the Lehman Hot Springs on August 30, 1987. They were married on June 2, 1990, outdoors at Fort Walla Walla. Unfortunately both of her parents had passed away prior to 1987.

Elaine wrote three novels, none of which were published. I think her best one had to do with terrorists trying to get to a train loaded with uranium that was buried in an underground tunnel at Hanford. If I get time, I am going to edit and send it out.

Our third date was a tour of the structurally complete but never used WPPSS reactor, next to the one that is operating. She loved it. We were real romantics!"


Here is a memorial article written by an attorney friend of David's. (David still has the Tandem, but has not ridden it).

Dave Hagan Lost His Best Girl written by Tana Coates in the March-April 2015 SLO County Bar Bulletin:

"She could smell a rose and tell you it's color. Blind by the age of eight due to detached retinas that laser surgery could correct these days, she put on her own makeup, picked out her snazzy clothes by touch and feel, and had a master's degree in social work. Elaine was courageous, smart, beautiful and fun. She died at the age of 66 recently due to complications from cancer surgery. She was in so much pain that she told her devoted husband of 24 years that she was ready to go.

Elaine and Dave met at a hot springs in Ukiah, OR. They married on a warm sunny day, sandwiched between rainy ones, speaking vows they wrote for each other. They spent too much on a specially-made tandem bike -- and the two of them set out together on weekly adventures. Elaine "saw" through her sense of touch. They traveled primarily the west coast, and she was especially drawn to redwood trees. Dave found her small models, toys, statues -- to help her visualize things she had heard about all of her life, but did not see before her eyes quit. Once they visited the floats after the Rose Parade so she could touch the blossoms.

Although Elaine had life-long physical challenges, she was a doer. After obtaining her master's degree from the University of Washington (where she also learned to scuba dive), Elaine befuddled the licensing board in California when she asked that the written portion of her test to become a licensed clinical social worker be printed in Braille. The board eventually complied with her request. Once licensed, she was a drug and alcohol counselor for 20 years. She was the past Director of Paso de Vica on the Nipomo Mesa, which provides residential substance abuse treatment for women and children. Over the past few years, she spent more time at home. Elaine read four to five audio books a week, cooked, cleaned and penned three novels. She strongly supported her husband's late-in-life career change to law, especially since it brought a move to warm, sunny California and a challenge to her fierce independence. Elaine was her husband's confidant, consultant, proofreader, best friend and sweetheart. Dave says that he won't ride that bike with anyone else."

Bomber Memorial put together by Shirley COLLINGS Haskins ('66).