Thomas Jesse BETHEA, III^[1]

1933 - 2019  (85 years)

• Name	Thomas Jesse BETHEA  [2]
  Suffix	III
  Birth	12 May 1933	Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Caroina
  Gender	Male
  HIST	Obituary for Mr. Thomas Jesse Bethea III Mr. Thomas Jesse Bethea, III died peacefully on Friday, January 25th, 2019. Born in Charlotte, NC, he was a son of the late Thomas Jesse Bethea, Jr. and Flora Bethea O'Neill. He was married to Charlotte Hardee Bethea, also of Charlotte, NC from December 31, 1951 to May 5, 1993. Tom married Patricia Edwards Bethea on August 23, 1993. Tom graduated from Central High School in Charlotte, NC, in the class of 1951. He served in the U.S. Air Force 1951-1955 while stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama. After leaving the Air Force, Tom took his young wife and daughter to Clemson, SC where he obtained a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson A&M College in 1958. While there, he welcomed 2 more children. He first worked for Martin-Marietta in Orlando, Florida. After brief employment in Charlotte, NC, Tom worked for Chrysler Corporation, Huntsville, Alabama on the design of the hydraulic control system of the Saturn V. Due to concerns about changing market demands, he obtained an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University. Upon graduation, Tom was employed by Celanese Corporation in Rock Hill, SC from 1965 to 1971. Tom left Celanese and started his own company, Bethea Engineering, Inc. doing consulting work for many clients in Rock Hill and other South Carolina areas. In 1978 Tom bought the ancestral Bethea farmhouse in McColl, South Carolina. Thus began his passion to renovate and restore the old home. The Bethea farmhouse is now owned by his eldest daughter Cynthia and remains a family treasure. Tom and Patty moved to Lamar, SC. They bought a sailboat and gave this new passion a try. Tom has been a resident of Oakhaven Nursing Home in Darlington, SC for the past 3 years where he was well cared for and loved by many of the staff. Surviving are his wife, Patricia E. Bethea of Lamar, SC; daughters, Prof. Cynthia L. Bethea (Tom Dagostino) of Portland, OR, Diane Bethea Boeger (Bruce C.) of Overland Park, KS; son, David Jesse Bethea (Carolyn D.) of Greenville, SC; brother, William David Bethea (Gloria) of Charlotte, NC; grandchildren, Sarah Cynthia Bethea, Rachel Boeger Leung (Dave), Rebecca Boeger Morris (Steven), Hannah Hultman Boeger, Gabriella Hope Boeger, Tristram Jesse Bethea (Mellany); great-grandsons, Jackson Leung, Charlie Leung, Jacob Morris, Evan Bethea, Tyler Bethea. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Charlotte Hardee Bethea; granddaughter, Ansley Jean Bethea. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, May 12th, 2019 (Tom’s 86th Birthday) at the Bethea Family Farmhouse 3003 Academy Road, McColl, SC 29570; burial will take place that same day in the family cemetery at the Academy/Adamsville Crossroads.  [2]
  HIST	Obituary for Mr. Thomas Jesse Bethea III Mr. Thomas Jesse Bethea, III died peacefully on Friday, January 25th, 2019. Born in Charlotte, NC, he was a son of the late Thomas Jesse Bethea, Jr. and Flora Bethea O'Neill. He was married to Charlotte Hardee Bethea, also of Charlotte, NC from December 31, 1951 to May 5, 1993. Tom married Patricia Edwards Bethea on August 23, 1993. Tom graduated from Central High School in Charlotte, NC, in the class of 1951. He served in the U.S. Air Force 1951-1955 while stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama. After leaving the Air Force, Tom took his young wife and daughter to Clemson, SC where he obtained a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson A&M College in 1958. While there, he welcomed 2 more children. He first worked for Martin-Marietta in Orlando, Florida. After brief employment in Charlotte, NC, Tom worked for Chrysler Corporation, Huntsville, Alabama on the design of the hydraulic control system of the Saturn V. Due to concerns about changing market demands, he obtained an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University. Upon graduation, Tom was employed by Celanese Corporation in Rock Hill, SC from 1965 to 1971. Tom left Celanese and started his own company, Bethea Engineering, Inc. doing consulting work for many clients in Rock Hill and other South Carolina areas. In 1978 Tom bought the ancestral Bethea farmhouse in McColl, South Carolina. Thus began his passion to renovate and restore the old home. The Bethea farmhouse is now owned by his eldest daughter Cynthia and remains a family treasure. Tom and Patty moved to Lamar, SC. They bought a sailboat and gave this new passion a try. Tom has been a resident of Oakhaven Nursing Home in Darlington, SC for the past 3 years where he was well cared for and loved by many of the staff. Surviving are his wife, Patricia E. Bethea of Lamar, SC; daughters, Prof. Cynthia L. Bethea (Tom Dagostino) of Portland, OR, Diane Bethea Boeger (Bruce C.) of Overland Park, KS; son, David Jesse Bethea (Carolyn D.) of Greenville, SC; brother, William David Bethea (Gloria) of Charlotte, NC; grandchildren, Sarah Cynthia Bethea, Rachel Boeger Leung (Dave), Rebecca Boeger Morris (Steven), Hannah Hultman Boeger, Gabriella Hope Boeger, Tristram Jesse Bethea (Mellany); great-grandsons, Jackson Leung, Charlie Leung, Jacob Morris, Evan Bethea, Tyler Bethea. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Charlotte Hardee Bethea; granddaughter, Ansley Jean Bethea. A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, May 12th, 2019 (Tom’s 86th Birthday) at the Bethea Family Farmhouse 3003 Academy Road, McColl, SC 29570; burial will take place that same day in the family cemetery at the Academy/Adamsville Crossroads.
  MILI	He served in the U.S. Air Force 1951-1955 while stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama.  [1]
  MILI	He served in the U.S. Air Force 1951-1955 while stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama.
  _UID	012379E9F7EA487C87AE11D4469D8CF6AADF
  _UID	012379E9F7EA487C87AE11D4469D8CF6AADF
  Death	25 Jan 2019
  Burial	12 May 2019	Bethea Family Farmhouse, 3003 Academy Road, McColl, South Carolina   [2]
  	Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home, Hartsville, South Carolina Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home, Hartsville, South Carolina
  Person ID	I248293	Singleton and Related Families
  Last Modified	8 Aug 2019

  
  

  Father	Thomas Jesse BETHEA, Jr.   d. Bef 25 Jan 2019
  Mother	Flora BETHEA   d. Bef 25 Jan 2019
  _UID	56B9B9FF9C544D5599C2B9819E6C31547D96
  _UID	56B9B9FF9C544D5599C2B9819E6C31547D96
  Family ID	F214871	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Charlotte HARDEE,   b. 1935   d. 24 Oct 2009 (Age 74 years)
  Marriage	31 Dec 1951  [1]
  Divorce	5 May 1993  [1]
  _UID	76755FE488F7418AA655C7D7AAA4FD61BDB1
  _UID	76755FE488F7418AA655C7D7AAA4FD61BDB1
  Family ID	F167634	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	8 Aug 2019

  
  

  Family 2	Patricia EDWARDS
  Marriage	23 Aug 1993  [1]
  _UID	18F4C1ECD4EA4469946160C7918822108B47
  _UID	18F4C1ECD4EA4469946160C7918822108B47
  Children	1. Prof. Cynthia L. BETHEA   2. Diane BETHEA   3. David Jesse BETHEA
  Family ID	F214873	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	8 Aug 2019

  
  

• Sources

  [S27045] Thomas Jesse Bethea, III. [S13174] Charlotte Hardee Bethea.