John S Beasley II

John S. Beasley II, 95, of Nashville, Tennessee, died on Friday, September 4, 2026. Born to the late Elsie Eggleston Beasley and Thomas Earl Beasley of Franklin, Tennessee on October 2, 1930, he is survived by Allison Tidman Beasley, his cherished wife of 68 years, their son John S. Beasley III and his fiancée Lisa Simental of Dallas, Texas, and their daughter Eleanor Beasley Nahley and her husband Jeffrey of Nashville. He leaves four grandchildren: John S. Beasley IV of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Andrew McCarn Beasley of New York City, Julia Daniels Nahley of New York City, and William Granville Nahley of Nashville. Predeceased by his brother Earl Beasley, Jr., he is also survived by Earl's wife Kay Russell Beasley and by their children Katherine Early Beasley, Earl Beasley III, and Margaret Beasley Holt and her husband, Douglas. He was ever aware of his great good fortune in marrying, and their lives together involved the continuing opening of life's vistas. His pride and pleasure in his children and grandchildren were intense. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Vanderbilt University and its Law School, following which he entered the Navy and spent three years in the Far East as a Naval Air Intelligence Officer. He served in two commands under Admiral George W. Anderson, Jr., and was briefly his aide before Anderson later took command of the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean and subsequently became Chief of Naval Operations. Returning to Franklin in 1958, he entered the practice of law, married, and together he and Allison began their family. An amateur pianist and organist, he served interim stints as organist and choirmaster at First Methodist Church and at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Franklin. In 1959, he returned to Vanderbilt where, except for the decade of the '70s, he remained until the end of 2017. His posts at Vanderbilt included Executive Secretary of the Alumni Association, Associate Dean and Director of Admissions for the Law School, Professor of Law, and Vice Chancellor for Alumni and Development. He became Vice Chancellor, Emeritus at his retirement in 1999, but was called back into service as Special Assistant to the Chancellor, then Counselor to the Chancellor. Beasley served five of the nine Vanderbilt Chancellors. An endowed chair in law, endowed undergraduate and law scholarships, and the Admissions Suite in the Law School have been given in his name over time by former students and others. A Bass Military Scholarship also bears his name, observing his Naval service. In 1965, he, his brother, and others opened Pebblestone Court, an antiques and gift store, in the old City Offices on the Square in Franklin. The purchase and restoration of this building was the first for retail purposes in what was then a decaying downtown Franklin, and Beasley was the Founding President of the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County. In the 1970s, Beasley left Vanderbilt for ten years to head the Trust and Investment Division of Commerce Union Bank, today Bank of America. During this decade, he did extensive volunteer work for his alma mater and in 1978 was elected President of The Vanderbilt Alumni Association. Active in civic affairs, he served on an array of boards. He was president of The Nashville Symphony, The Tennessee Botanical Gardens and Fine Arts Center (Cheekwood), and Chairman of the Board of The Harpeth Hall School. An avid reader, he loved the music of language, as well as the language of music. He was a member of Coffee House Club, a 'gentlemen's literary club,' and greatly prized the interesting papers and warm banter that characterized the meetings. He loved good humor and a great story, hearing it or telling it. As an undergraduate, he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and was tapped for ODK, the men's leadership fraternity. He was a member of Belle Meade Country Club and the University Club of New York. One of the founding members of the University Club of Nashville, his member number there, from the Club's inception until its demise, was 10. An Episcopalian, he took his quest for a greater knowledge of God with deep seriousness, and he was forever grateful that he had had the opportunity to serve his country. Honorary pallbearers are Ferriss Clay Bailey, Mark Dalton, Adrian Durelli, Robert L. Early, Theodore Edel, Bradford Gioia, John Kirtley Harrington, Terry Harris, Layng Martine, Matthew Ryan McGraner, Martin McNamara, Robert McDill, Jim Mullowney, Per Sture Nordquist, John F. Stein, Bradley David Wigor, David Ernest Wood, Joe B. Wyatt, Nicholas Zeppos, and members of the Coffee House Club. A funeral service will be held Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Christ Church Cathedral, 900 Broadway, Nashville, Tennessee, with visitation at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m. Please sign the guestbook for the family. Crawford Funeral Home (615) 254-8200 For more obituaries visit our obituaries page. This obituary was published by Crawford Funeral Home. Subscribe to our Newsletter! Email