A Celebration of the Life of Drew Beals

We gather today to celebrate a man who moved through this world entirely to his own rhythm, possessing a style so effortlessly smooth it left an impression on everyone he met. Drew Beals was a truly unique soul—a man of deep passions, immense creativity, and a heart full of love. If you were to ask the guys around him, they might admit to being a little "jealous" because Drew Michael Daddy had a knack for stealing the spotlight, and quite often, the ladies. He knew he had style, and it gave him a quiet confidence that was entirely his own.

That confidence and certainty were clear even from a very young age; when he was just nine years old, he proudly brought a picture of Jesus home with him, looked at his family, and declared with total conviction, "This is mine."

Drew found joy in the details that others often missed. He didn’t just watch movies; he lived them. He loved immersion, whether he was diving deep into the worlds of Star Wars, watching his beloved Annie, or sitting patiently through the theater darkness to watch every single frame of the end credits. He would sit, eyes peeled, looking for the name "Michael" in the scrolling text, ready to meticulously document each discovery in his special notebook.

That dedication carried over into everything Drew did. He was a man who appreciated a cold Coca-Cola, a good hot dog, and the thrill of the collection. Many of you might remember his quest for the perfect "top tops"—the monster tabs he called "Points." He collected them faithfully, envisioning the day he would turn them all in for an absolute haul of Monster gear.

Drew was also a man who knew the peace of hard work and his own company. Many of his days were spent in a world of his own, wearing his earmuffs to block out the noise while doing landscape work. He brought beauty and order to the grounds of the Anacortes Marina, Skagit Valley College, and the Sedro-Woolley Hospital. In those quiet hours of labor, his mind was always creating.

He found profound joy in his art, family and traditions. He cherished the puzzles his dad always sent him and looked forward every single year to the absolute fun of traveling to Alaska to spend "Turkey Day" with his father. He loved his visits to Wendy's—a place that held a special magic for him because the girl on the sign reminded him of Annie, and the vibrant red matched his favorite aesthetic. It was there that he would discreetly gather his iconic red straws, smuggling them home past his mother's watchful eye to engineer his next great Star Wars creations.

Drew’s creativity was always supported by those who loved him. While his mother and his Uncle Bill did the heavy lifting, Uncle Bill would let Drew paint R2-D2s on the barrels, giving him a canvas for his imagination. And when Drew wasn't feeling his best, he had a steadfast companion in Chewie Sasquatch. Drew loved playing tricks on Chewie, sharing endless laughs, and finding comfort in his presence whenever he needed to feel better.

Music was the heartbeat of Drew's life. He loved going to concerts, and nothing made him rock out harder than the music of Michael Jackson. He danced, he smiled, and he embraced the melody of life with everything he had.

Though Drew has moved on to his next great adventure, he left behind a final, beautiful message for everyone gathered here today. He wants you all to know that he is okay. The tremendous love he carried in his heart for his friends and his family does not end here—it lives on directly through each and every one of you. As we remember Drew today, let us honor his legacy the way he wanted: by remembering to love one another, and by smiling as much as we possibly can and to always do one last thing, play jokes on each other.