Earl Jay Beers

1924 - 2015

MILFORD - Earl Jay Beers, formerly of Hinman Hollow, Milford, passed into eternal life Monday evening, January 26, 2015, at Focus Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at Otsego with family by his side.  He was 90.

A native of Delaware County, Earl was born May 23, 1924, in Beerston, the son of Jesse James Beers and Anna Grace Pearsall Beers. After attending Delaware Literary Institute  in Franklin , he left school in his senior year to join the military and was inducted into the Army of the United States on March 26, 1943. He proudly served his country in France during World War II as a lineman for telephone and telegraph lines and received his Honorable Discharge on February 10, 1946.  

On October 18, 1947, Earl married Doris Emmeline Lyon in a ceremony at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hartwick Seminary.  

He was first employed at Ohmies of Oneonta. In 1954 he went to work for Otsego Wholesale Electric in Oneonta where he was a counter man, servicing many electrical contractors in Otsego and surrounding counties. After the sale of Otsego Wholesale he went to work for Allied Electric in Oneonta. For many years he was an electrician for family and friends.

Earl enjoyed camping all his life and his four children became avid campers at young ages. He also enjoyed bowling and was on many leagues at the Cooperstown Bowl-A-Rama and the Milford Bowling Alley. An avid fan of the Atlanta Braves, he cheered them on for many years as he watched them on TV. Most of all, Earl enjoyed spending time with his family and after his retirement he and Doris enjoyed traveling and made many trips to California to visit their son.  

Earl and Doris are among the oldest members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hartwick Seminary, where Earl served as a councilman for many years. A 61-year member of the Milford American Legion Post 1566, he was also a member and Past Master of the Hinman Hollow Grange, a former Boy Scout leader and assessor for the Town of Hartwick.  

Earl is survived by his wife of 67 years, Doris L. Beers; two sons, David E. Beers (Alicia Mendoza) of San Diego, CA and Bradley L. Beers (Gloria Marlette) of Mount Vision; two daughters, Debra S.(Bruce) Hildenbrand of Hinman Hollow, Milford and Pamela J. (Wayne) Phillips of Oneonta; nine grandchildren, Crystal Hildenbrand, Brandi Insetta, Jason Beers, Jennifer Mann, Kendra Capraro, Bryan Beers, Nathan Phillips, Chad Phillips and Matthew Phillips; and twelve great-grandchildren.  He is also survived by two sisters, Letha Hulbert of West Oneonta and Pauline Peck of Albion; and many nieces and nephews and their extended families and a special nephew, Randy Hulbert of Milford.

Services will be held later this Spring.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.


If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.