Lee Ann Beard

Lee Ann (Winberg) Beard, 78, of Des Moines, IA, died peacefully and surrounded by family at Methodist Medical Center on November 1, 2025, after a short bout with pneumonia.
As anyone who knows her knows, this wasn't her first brush with death-she had simply looked the previous offers straight in the eye, decided she hadn't spread enough joy here on earth, and said, "Not yet."
She jokingly began calling herself the "tough old bird" a decade or so ago after one of many hospital stays. Her family began calling her the "one-armed, eight-toed bandit" after a subsequent battle with necrotizing fasciitis during which she lost her right arm. (The toes are another story. And the kidney.)
But never, ever did she lose her smile, her joy, her laughter or her zest for life. Even at 78 years old, she was still making friends and finding boundless happiness every day. When her lifelong friend, Joy, visited Lee at the end of October, she sent a text to Lee's children, saying, "Your mom is the most upbeat person I've ever known. Some quotes from yesterday: 'I love life! What more could I want? I have the best family and they're all doing so well.'"
Lee is survived by her beloved husband, Charles "Charlie" Beard, a classmate from the Valley High School class of 1964; her daughter, Ashley (David) Hamershock, and grandsons Wynn and Grant of Colorado Springs, CO; and son, Josh Grant, granddaughters Kylee and Delaney, and great-granddaughter OakLee, of the Des Moines, IA, area, as well as nieces, nephews and countless friends.
Lee loved her family fiercely. She loved her friends just as much, especially the "YaYas," who all attended The University of Wisconsin-River Falls together-and especially, especially her three best friends: Joy Coppola, Patty Neuman and Joyce Chekouras.
She was preceded in death by her elder sister, Linda (Jim) Mitchell; twin sister, Holly (Larry) Crowell; and parents, Warren and Ruth Winberg.
Lee and her twin sister, Holly, were born in Cedar Rapids, IA, on December 3, 1946. Eventually, their family settled in the Windsor Heights, Iowa area, where the three girls were raised and attended Valley High School. Each summer, Lee and Holly spent time horseback riding at Bar L Ranch in Guthrie Center and the family traveled to central Minnesota, where they rented a cabin on Gull Lake. It was there that the three girls learned to waterski, with Lee being widely regarded as the best-even climbing on others' shoulders. She was fearless. Later, she followed in her WWII Navy squadron commander father's footsteps and took flying lessons.
A first marriage, two children and parting later, Lee was reacquainted with Charlie Beard, who was to become the great love of her life. They moved to Texas, married and two-stepped and cotton-eye-joed their way across the state before they eventually returned to Iowa to be closer to family.
A few years later, her twin sister's kidneys failed and Lee immediately volunteered one of hers, giving Holly additional decades of quality life.
Wedged between all of the above, Lee worked as a middle school teacher, a substitute teacher, an executive secretary and even at a funeral home for awhile. She was a Jill-of-all-trades, but work was never her identity; family was.
Each summer, the family would head up to Grandma and Grandpa's cabin on Pelican Lake in Minnesota to meet up with the whole extended crew for what they called the "Winberg-O-Rama"-a lively week or two of waterskiing, sunbathing, shopping, playing cards, and talking, talking, talking. That was one of Lee's greatest strengths: Talking. She could talk with anyone about a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g.
And after the kids were grown and flown, Lee and Charlie moved in 2001 to Berlin, a beautiful town in east-central Wisconsin and planted roots along the Fox River. They enjoyed small-town life-boating, fishing, bird watching and taking day trips to nearby towns. They simply loved spending time together.
As the kids grew older and eventually provided Lee with her darling grandchildren (she quickly dubbed the girls "cherubs" and the boys "urchins"), Lee and Charlie visited them wherever they were-Iowa, Hawaii, California, Colorado-leaving endless memories and laughter in their wake.
Once, Charlie traded in a large SUV for a new, smaller one. Lee saw it and immediately asked him to return it because it wasn't big enough to haul Christmas gifts in. This pint-sized spitfire could drive that same oversized SUV to back a boat trailer up like it was her full-time job. Men waiting at boat launches would turn their cars off, anticipating a delay, then drop their beers when that adorable little blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty zipped the trailer down under the waiting boat on the first try.
In recent years, Lee's health had declined a bit, prompting Lee and Charlie's decision to return to their hometown of Des Moines to be closer to family. And what a blessing it has been to have them closer.
Fly high, our precious "tough old bird!" We loved you on Earth and we will hold you close in our hearts until we meet again in Heaven
A memorial gathering will be held from 2:00-4:00 p.m. with brief remarks at 2:45 p.m. on December 13, 2025, at Iles Westover Chapel, 6337 Hickman Rd, Des Moines, IA 50322. Family asks that you dress comfortably and colorfully.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lupus Foundation, www.lupus.org or The Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Association | Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Help
To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Lee Beard, please visit our Tribute Store.