BOERNE, Texas – The sudden death of a pastor with a zest for life, LSU, and the love of God has broken the hearts of his Boerne church and believers far and wide.
Pastor Warren Beemer died at the age of 52 on Saturday in a horrible crash on I-10 in his home town of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Beemer was following behind his wife and child in a separate car in an area known for its congested, poorly lit highway stretch in west Baton Rouge when he slammed into the back of an 18-wheeler. A close friend said when Beemer did not show up at a pre-arranged stop ahead on the highway, she circled back and found the fatal crash site.
Longtime friend Willie Ng got the call the next morning.
“I started to research and saw the photos. And it’s just heartbreaking to see that. And we all have questions. You know, we all have questions of ‘How did this happen and why?’ and ‘Why him?’”
Ng met Beemer at Cornerstone Church when he ran the security team there, and Beemer was the youth pastor. Later, Beemer would strike out on his own and create Boerne’s Healing Place Church.
Ng said, “He didn’t care about politics -- Democrats, Republicans. He just cared about people.”
As a motivational speaker, life coach and good friend to many, Beemer posted dozens of videos on YouTube and Facebook.
Friends talk with awe about his big bear hugs and the many LSU shirts he owned. The LSU graduate also had a purple and gold car that was hard to miss. His tagline always was: “It’s a good day.”
Memorial services are planned for Thursday at The Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, but the local church in Boerne is also planning a ceremony. Details are still being firmed up.