A celebration of life for John Beam, a legendary football coach fatally shot in Oakland, will be held Saturday at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts.
Celebration of Life for Coach John Beam Scheduled
OAKLAND, Calif. – A celebration of life for legendary football coach John Beam, who was fatally shot at Laney College in November, is set for Saturday afternoon at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts.
The event will begin at 2 p.m. at the center located at 10 10th Street. Expected attendees include Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, U.S. Congresswoman Lateefah Simon, and Beam’s wife and daughters.
Beam, 66, died on Nov. 14, the day after he was shot at the Laney College fieldhouse, where the school’s athletic facilities are located.
The 27-year-old suspect, Cedric Irving Jr., was arrested the same day as the shooting.
Coach Beam’s Career Highlights
Beam’s coaching career began in 1979 and lasted about 45 years. He started at Serra High School in San Diego, his hometown, before coaching at Skyline High School in the 1980s.
At Skyline, he won 15 league championships and had four undefeated seasons.
In 2004, he joined Laney College as the running backs coach. He became the college’s athletic director in 2006.
Beam took over as head football coach in 2012. In 2020, he gained national attention when Netflix featured Laney’s football program in the series “Last Chance U.”
He retired from his head coach position in 2024.
Beam is credited with producing over 20 NFL players during his time at Laney and Skyline.
| Event | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Celebration of Life | Saturday, 2 p.m. | Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, 10 10th Street |
| Death of John Beam | November 14 | Laney College |
| Arrest of Cedric Irving Jr. | November 14 | Laney College |
| Start of Coaching Career | 1979 | Serra High School, San Diego |
| Retirement | 2024 | Laney College |
