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Auburn alumni in Dallas County fondly remember former Auburn Tigers’ legendary wide receiver Terry Beasley.

Beasley passed away on Jan. 31 of an apparent suicide, according to a St. Clair County report. Moody Police Chief Reece Smith said the case is being investigated as a potential suicide.

A Montgomery native, Beasley was an All-American in 1970 and 1971 for the Tigers. He still holds the school’s receiving record with 2,507 yards and 29 touchdowns in a three-year career. 

Beasley is credited as one of the reasons quarterback Pat Sullivan won the 1971 Heisman Trophy.

Morgan Academy Director of Operations Karim Plummer and Trustmark Bank President Andy Stewart shared their memories of Beasley, whose number 88 jersey is retired at Auburn.

“I have great memories of listening to Auburn football on the radio because we weren’t on TV that much and we only had three networks,” Oaks said. “My best friend, Lee Anne Edwards Odom, and I, dressed in Auburn gear, cheered for Pat Sullivan and Terry Beasley to connect on one of those fantastic overhead passes that Beasley could catch! War Eagle!”

Stewart said Beasley set a high standard of excellence for playing wide receiver.

“He was an Auburn legend,” Stewart said. “All of us as kids try to catch a football over our shoulder like Terry Beasley.”

Beasley appeared in Selma nearly 25 years ago for the signing of his book, “God’s Receiver: the Terry Beasley Story.”

“We are all God’s receivers,” Beasley said at his book signing. “In order to live the fullest life we can, we have to have God in our lives.”

Beasley was a first-round NFL draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 1972. Beasley played three NFL seasons before retiring in 1975 because of injuries.