Beiler honored for service to Butler County politics, banking
For decades, it hardly seemed like there was enough time in the week for all of the tasks that John “Jack” Beiler, who died Wednesday, Sept. 16, was up to at the same time.
Between his day job as a banker at Mellon Financial, Beiler volunteered with numerous community organizations, such as the Human Relations Association, the Butler Blind Association, the local United Way, and the YWCA, among others. Early in his life, Beiler served a two-year tour of duty in the U.S. Navy aboard the battleship U.S.S. Iowa.
According to his widow, Amy Beiler, he started with Mellon Bank as a trainee at the Butler branch in 1957. He retired in 1998 as a senior vice president of credit policy working out of the Pittsburgh office.
“He was put in charge of billions of dollars of bad loans in Mellon Bank when he went down to Pittsburgh in the latter part of his career,” Amy said. “He was very, very proud of how things turned out as far as dealing with people who were underwater when they're keeping up with their loans.”
“He was a people person. He loved to meet new people. He loved to get to know new people. He wanted to know about people that he met,” said John Kepple, a friend of Beiler. “I think it's one of the reasons he did so well in the banking business is because he was truly interested in the people he served.”
Throughout his life, and especially after his retirement from the banking world, Beiler was active in public service and local politics. This included a write-in campaign for a seat on the Butler County Board of Commissioners in 2007. He also served on the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee, as well as treasurer for the Butler County Democratic Party.
At least one resident gave public support for Beiler’s write-in campaign in 2007.
“I have found him to be a man of intelligence, integrity, honor and unfailing good humor,” wrote Gary Kleeman of Butler in a 2007 letter to the Butler Eagle. “Beiler has both the leadership experience and financial acumen requisite to managing the county's affairs. I know, from his character, that Beiler would regard such stewardship as a service to the people's interest, and not his own. ...I'll be writing his name in for county commissioner, and I hope others do so as well.”
Multiple people professed there was one joke in particular Beiler was fond of telling whenever he got the chance.
“He loved to tell the ‘turkey joke.’ Anybody who ever knew him heard that joke,” Kepple said.
“He was driving along Airport Road, and a turkey flew in front of a car, and he hit the turkey and it flew over the top of his car and onto the car of a policeman who was behind it,” Amy said. “The policeman pulled him over, and (Jack) said, ‘Officer, what’s the problem?’ (The officer) said, ‘I'm giving you a citation.’ He said, ‘Well, what for, officer?’
“And the officer says, ‘For flipping me the bird.’”
