Thomas Albert Beardslee

Thomas Albert Beardslee, 78, of Benton died Saturday, August 2, 2025, in Cape Girardeau. He was born on October 28, 1946, in Detroit, Michigan, son of Maurice and Elizabeth Garber Beardslee. He and Janice Isaacs were married November 15, 1970, at First Baptist Church in Scott City, MO.

Beardslee spent most of his life serving his country and community. A Vietnam veteran, he served in the United States Air Force, Army National Guard and Naval Reserve. In his community, Beardslee was a Deputy Sheriff with the Scott County Sheriff’s Department for many years. Over the years, he also worked with the Mississippi County Sheriff’s office, Scott City Police, and was the Scott County Emergency Management Director. Beardslee also was an instructor with the Southeast Missouri State University Law Enforcement Academy.

Later in life, Beardslee loved training dogs and their handlers. He established the Scott County K-9 Tactical Search Team in 2004 to help serve the community which evolved into the SEMO Regional K-9 Team. He was particularly proud of the tagline he developed for this group, “ You’d be lost without us.” In addition to working with this group, Beardslee also trained therapy dogs and took his therapy dog, Duchess, to many facilities including hospitals, nursing homes, and schools to help others.

Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Beth (Mike) Leible of Barnhart, MO, and Christine (Rodney), Davis of Jackson, MO; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Besides his parents he was preceded in death by one brother, Col. Harold M. Beardslee.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 7, 2025 from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City. Funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 8, 2025, at the funeral home with Pastor Jeremy Sells of First Baptist Church in Scott City officiating.

Interment will follow in the Oakdale Cemetery in Commerce, MO. With full military honors.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS. 66675-8516.