Margaret Welch Beard

St. Petersburg Yacht Club , St. Petersburg Yacht Club , Margaret (Peggy) Welch Beard passed on July 9th, 2015 at age 75. After being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in March 2013, she fought a valiant battle for over two years and she remained positive and grateful for each extra day to share with family and friends. Peggy’s entire life was one of perpetual motion and accomplishment in which she lived at least three lifetimes in one. She loved life, but was unafraid of death due her strong faith and belief in God. Peggy and her husband, Burnham, most recently attended St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Dade City, Florida.

Peggy was born in St. Petersburg, Florida on January 27, 1940, but spent her youth in the small rural town of Greencastle, PA raised by her parents Sewall & Helen Welch with her sister Maryann and brother David. Peggy was Valedictorian of the Greencastle-Antrim High School class of 1957 and graduated from Penn State University where she held leadership roles in the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and was in the Scrolls senior women’s honor society. While at Penn State, she met Burnham Beard who she married in December 1960.

From 1960 to 1972, Peggy was a full-time mother and housewife as Burnham served in various corporate positions across the country. In 1973, Peggy, Burnham and their three children moved from Massachusetts to St. Petersburg to join Peggy’s father in founding Welch Tennis Courts, which they grew to become the largest tennis court construction firm in the U.S. before selling in 1994. During her career at Welch Tennis Courts, Peggy was active in the United States Tennis Court Builders Association where she served as its first woman Chairman, was the first woman to be designated a Certified Tennis Court Builder and was awarded their Lifetime Achievement and Industry Merit Award. She was also active in the United States Tennis Association (“USTA”) serving as the first woman on its Technical Committee for 24 years including 4 years as chairman and 4 years as vice chairman, and most recently through 2014, served 6 years on the International Tennis Federation Technical Commission located in London. She also served on the Board of the USTA Florida Section Tennis Foundation and in July 2011 was recognized as a “Pioneer in Tennis” in Racquet Sports magazine.

Locally, Peggy was a proud and long-time active member of the St. Petersburg West Rotary Club where she served in various leadership positions including its President and was a third generation member of the Pasadena Women’s Club.

Peggy loved to travel! Peggy and Burnham were fortunate to travel the world together including Africa, India, Russia, China, Australia, New Zealand and most all of Europe; in total, they visited over 50 countries. In 2002, Peggy and Burnham both obtained their USCG Captain’s licenses and purchased a 53 foot ocean trawler “Morning Mist” on which they embarked on a 25,000 mile, four year adventure cruising the pacific west coast from Alaska to Panama including all of Central America, then passing through the Panama Canal and cruising the eastern Atlantic seaboard as far north as Newfoundland.

Above all else, Peggy Beard will be remembered as devoted wife, mother and grandmother by her family that she placed above all else. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, George Burnham Beard (78); her three children: Robert Beard (53) and his wife Barbara, of St. Petersburg, FL; Helen Beard Payne (51) of Crozet, VA; Michael Beard (47) and his wife Tiffany of Ft. Myers, FL; five grandchildren: Ryan Beard (24), Caitlin Payne (21), Megan Payne (16), Conner Beard (10) and Jake Beard (4); and her two siblings: Maryann Welch Gauger (77) of Cary, NC and David Sewall Welch (70) of Seminole, FL.

Her family and friends wish to congratulate Peggy on a life well lived! Peggy requested that in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the St. Pete West Rotary Charities or Suncoast Hospice Foundation. The family is hosting a memorial / celebration of life event on July 25th at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club starting at 2 pm. For more information, please contact bob.beard@envirocap.com or 813.361-9083.