Funeral services for J.R. Beard, of Wesson, are 2 p.m.Wednesday, June 2, at Riverwood Family Funeral Service Chapel, withburial in Little Bahala Baptist Cemetery.

Visitation is Tuesday from 5 until 9 p.m. at the funeralhome.

Mr. Beard, 79, died Monday, May 31, 2010, at his residence. He wasborn in Wesson on Aug. 20, 1931, to Clarence and QuinnieBeard.

He was a longtime employee of Potter Company and served as a deputyfor the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office for many years. He was alifelong member of Little Bahala Baptist Church. He recently waspresented his 50-year membership pin by the J.M. Masonic Lodge inWesson. He served in the United States Navy from 1951 until 1955aboard the USS Iowa.

Mr. Beard was an avid sportsman who loved hunting and fishing andprotecting wildlife. He also spent a lot of his time promotingthese sports with the youth in his community and organized thefirst fishing tournament at Lake Lincoln, as he lived within sightof the lake since it was built. He spent many years as a volunteerdeputy sheriff and then as a deputy. He was dedicated to his churchand community as being someone who could always be called on tohelp. He loved gardening and for several years he won the LargestTomato Contest in the community. His devoted companion since thedeath of his wife is his little Pomeranian, “Dude,” whom he lovedwith all his heart.

Preceding him in death were his parents; his wife of 52 years,Bobbie Nell Mullen Beard; and his infant son, Tommy RayBeard.

Survivors are his daughters and sons-in-law, Darlene and WardGaston, and Deloris and Randy Furr; his sister, Mary Louella Floyd;his brother, Charles Ray Beard; and a host of nieces and nephews.His three nephews, David Floyd, Randall and Robert Beard, were morelike sons to him, and he cared for a special niece-in-law, KathyBeard, like a daughter.

Pallbearers are David Floyd, Randall Beard, Robert Beard, John PaulMartin, Todd May, Shane Furr and Mark Sanders. Honorary pallbearersare Jimmy Redd, Harold Rutland, Herman Cavin, Jimmy Kees, DaveWeathersby and Lynn Boyte.

To express your thoughts to the family, you may visitwww.riverwoodfamily.com and click on his/her name to leave acomment.