Francis Eugene Beard

Francis Eugene Beard went home to be with Jesus on November 14, 2023, surrounded by his children Robyn Foreman, Karen Campbell, and Joel Beard as well as their respective spouses, Mark Foreman, Keith Campbell, and Michelle Beard, grandson Cole Campbell and his wife, Joyce, of over 40 years. As he battled heart disease and diabetes for more than a decade, he often remarked that he never thought he would live this long. He finished a full life with his family at his side. Born to Edgar Eugene Beard and Georgia Bee Beard on November 22, 1935, in Luling, Texas, he grew up in Thompsons, Texas with his siblings Michael, Janice, David, Daniel, and Margie. Francis was raised in the Church of Christ and learned early to have a deep reliance on faith. Francis grew up as an outdoorsman and a man of many skills and hobbies. Through different periods of his life, he was a metallurgical technician for Cameron Iron Works for many years, a manager of the Sporting Goods department of Walmart and a school bus driver for Lamar Consolidated Independent School District.
Francis was a lifelong musician with his passion for music extending from high school through his college time at Abilene Christian College as well as into to the later years of his life. He graced many people in the Riverside, Texas Christian community with his guitar and singing talent at several of the area churches. Francis and Joyce enjoyed the Christian community in the Riverside area. Additionally, he participated in the monthly Gospel Senior Night at Groveton Senior Citizens Center.
Francis also visited the assisted living center in Riverside weekly to provide encouragement and support for some of the patients.
Francis was a lifelong outdoorsman that hunted whitetail deer, dove, and duck during the respective seasons. Additionally, he and Joyce were known to enjoy bass fishing at Somerville Lake as well as saltwater fishing in Matagorda Texas. He particularly enjoyed hunting in recent years with his brothers at the Damon Hunting Club in southeast Texas.
In 1958 he married his first love Sandra Dayne McNabb. They made their home in Houston Texas and began their family together. They raised four children Russel, Robyn, Karen, and Joel.
Most people dream of having one great love. Jesus blessed Francis with two. On May 23, 1983, he married Joyce, and the two of them began a new adventure. They thoroughly enjoyed working through life, sharing occupational experiences intermixed with many hunting and fishing trips to regional venues. Francis retired in 1999. In 2005, he and Joyce moved from the Fort Bend County area and continued their life adventures in Riverside, Texas. There they began a new set of relationships met many new Christian friends.
Jesus Christ was his greatest sense of peace and security that gave him the capacity, strength, and wisdom to handle challenges in life. He is preceded in death by his parents Edgar Eugene and Georgia Bee Beard, his first wife Sandra Beard, sister Janice, brother Michael, his son Russel Beard and by son -in-law Darrel Cox. Francis is survived by wife, Joyce, as well as his children Robyn Foreman, son Jeff Foreman and daughter Jacquie Foreman Grissom, Karen Campbell's sons Cody and Cole Campbell, and Joel Beard, their spouses as listed above and Jeremy Ross, son of Michelle, wife of Joel. He is also survived by his brothers David Beard, Daniel Beard, and his sister Margie Beard. He loved his family, all of whom also survive him including Gerri Maxwell and spouse Art, Michael Zalesak, and spouse Karen, and Cindy Cox and new partner, Russell Wise. He also loved his grandsons Braydon Maxwell and wife Danika, great grandchildren Gunnar and Royce, Kip Maxwell and Lauren Maxwell, great granddaughter Kinley and great grandson Barrett, Collin Zalesak and wife Grace, great grandsons Shepherd and Truman, and Connor and wife Chloe Zalesak.
A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held on Sunday December 10, 2023, at 2:00pm at the Riverside Baptist Church in Riverside, Texas. Memorial condolences to the family may be made at www.shmfh.com.
For any donations, please make these as a memorial gift to the Riverside Baptist Church to further God's work.