Robert Beeten Obituary

Robert Louis Beeten was born in Longmont, CO in 1934 to Forde Louis (Louie) Beeten and Charlotte Mallonee Beeten.

Survivors: Wife: Jennifer Stone of Monument CO. Daughters: Tara Beeten-Kingery of Black Forest CO and Kimberly West of American Falls ID. 5 grandchildren: Lindsay, Cori, Kami, Cody and Kaycee. 1 great grand child: Marley

Bob graduated from High School in Johnstown CO. He earned a BS in Physical Education and History from Colorado A&M and a MS in Sports Medicine from BYU.

Bob's first job was in the El Paso TX school district as athletic trainer, teacher and assistant track & field coach.

He moved to Idaho State University as head athletic trainer and assistant track coach. He later became the head cross country and track coach for ISU, winning numerous Big Sky conference championships in indoor/outdoor track and cross country. Bob was also named Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year 10 times between 1965 and 1977. He produced 17 All-Americans, with 1 athlete making 1972 Jamaica Olympic Summer team and another the 1976 Ghana Olympic Summer team.

In addition, Bob was named Head Athletic Trainer for numerous Summer and Winter Olympic Games and Pan American Games. In 1977, he became the first Director of Sports Medicine for the U.S. Olympic Committee at the Squaw Valley CA Olympic Training Center. In 1978, he moved to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs CO where he remained until his retirement in 2000. He implemented the first volunteer medical program, utilizing physicians, athletic trainers, chiropractors, and psychologists to staff all Olympic Training Centers, U.S. Olympic Festivals, World University Games, Pan American Games, and Olympic Games. After retiring, Bob returned to coaching track, volunteering at Lewis-Palmer High School in Monument CO.

Bob received the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award in 1994, was inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame in 2003, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Colorado Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 2012. He served as NATA District 7 Director while at ISU. In 2013, he received a Congressional Gold medal for his work with the 1980 Olympic Summer Games medical staff. In 2003 the Sports Medicine Clinic at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado was named is his honor.

Celebration of Life will be at Maguireville, 18110 Knollwood Blvd, Monument, CO 80831 On Thursday Dec 17, 2015 at 2:30 pm. In Lieu of flowers please make donations to Lewis Palmer Track Club, 1300 Higby Road, Monument, CO 80132 in Bob's name.