"At the Henry J. Kaiser Center on Saturday, his success in that endeavor was unmistakable. More than a thousand of people were expected to gather to honor Beam's life at a public memorial service after his sudden death in November. The gesture was one of those victories that Beam discussed as a win off the field, a phrase he repeated more than once during the Netflix documentary series Last Chance U."
"Beam, 66, died on Nov. 14, 2025, a day after he was shot in the athletic field house at Laney College. He had remained the athletic director of the school after stepping down from a 45-year football coaching career after the 2024 season. A legendary figure in Oakland sports, Beam built Skyline High School into Oakland's best public high school football program for more than a decade."
John Beam prioritized aiding lives off the field and mentored generations of players across Oakland. A public memorial at the Henry J. Kaiser Center drew more than a thousand expected mourners, including his wife Nanci and daughters Monica and Sonjha, along with Bay Area sports figures. Beam, 66, died Nov. 14, 2025, a day after he was shot in the Laney College athletic field house. He remained Laney’s athletic director after ending a 45-year coaching career following the 2024 season. Beam won 160 games and 11 Oakland Section crowns at Skyline, led Laney to a 60% winning rate and a 2018 community-college championship, and helped about 90% of Laney players graduate or transfer to four-year schools.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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