- Beard, C. Richard Our beloved father, grandfather and friend, C. Richard Beard, passed away on September 23, 2009. He was born on July 30, 1929 to John and Nellie Beard in St. Louis. He is survived by his children, Lynly Beard, Rick and Sonia Beard, and Elizabeth and Derrek Davis as well as six talented grandchildren. In addition, he is survived by his very tall cousins Garland, Edward and Raymond Beard, and his lovelier cousins Patty, Verna, Ethelyn and Clara Belle. He is predeceased by his wife Phyllis C. Beard, his sister Jean Carol Beard, and his grandson Terrence James Beard. Dick, or my darling Richard as he preferred to be known, graduated from Soldan High School and Washington University. He was an avid member of Kappa Sigma. He served in the US Army during the Korean War and then attended Washington University School of Law, where he served on Law Review. His friends from Kappa Sig and Law Review remained the touchstones in his life. After law school he worked in private practice at two different firms: Stamm, Millar, Neuhoff and Campbell and Smith, Harris and Hanke. In1968 he joined the law offices of May Department Stores, where he worked for 25 years and served as an expert in consumer credit. Dick was a man who truly lived life to the fullest: he was a world traveler; an avid lumberjack, sailor and canoeist; an ambitious ragtime piano player and a Muny aficionado. He loved bird feeding, outdoor lights, country and western music and making the rounds of all his favorite restaurants. He never met an onion he couldn't love, but chicken was a four letter word. He swam in the Antarctic, tangoed in Brazil, and was passionate about collecting Thai spirit houses. Duringhis time in Toastmasters he gave an award winning speech on cockroaches. In later life he had a strong interest in Buddhism, in spite of his carnivorous ways. He and Mom had a very happy 43 year marriage. Dick lived a life of service: not only did he give a lot of himself to his job; he proudly served 30 years in the Army Reserves, retiring as a full Colonel. He was on the Clayton Parks and Recreation Commission, a member of the Missouri Bar Association, a lifetime member of the Eliot Society, Scottish Rite, and a fifty year member of the Masons. He also volunteered with SCORE. We are all so grateful to have had his example of a strong work ethic, dedication to community, loyalty, integrity, and the immense spirit of having fun and enjoying this journey called life and the people with whom we share it. The family wishes to thank Dick's friends for their love and willingness to laugh at his jokes, Dick's doctors for their service, and the wonderful staff at Sunrise Assisted Living for their amazing care of our dear father. Services: There will be a memorial service at Graham Chapel at Washington University on Sunday, October 11th , at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Phyllis Church Beard Endowed Scholarship, Washington University, c/o Pam Henson, Campus Box 1210, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 64130-4899, or to a charity of your choice. Most importantly, please remember to feed the birds this winter! Arrangements by AMBRUSTER- DONNELLY Mortuary
Published in St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Sept. 27, 2009
U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Name: C. Richard Beard
Last Residence:
63117 Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri
BORN: 30 Jul 1929
Died: 23 Sep 2009
State (Year) SSN issued: Missouri (Before 1951)
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1929 - 2009 (80 years)
