Gerald "Jay" Lee Beard

Gerald “Jay” Beard passed away at his home on January 3, 2025. He was 93. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Donna; his two children, Kendra and Brian; his grandchildren Daniel and Jessye; and his great grandchildren Riaan and Rami.

He was born in Connersville, Indiana and he met his future wife in high school. He enrolled at Indiana State University (Go Sycamores!) and graduated in 1953 with a B.S. in Education. After graduating, Jay served in the United States Air Force as a meteorologist from 1953 to 1957 where he was stationed in Tully, Greenland and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. After his service in the Air Force, he moved to Colorado Springs with Donna in 1957 where they started their life-long work in elementary school education for District 11. He subsequently earned a Master's Degree in Education from ISU.

Jay taught 6th grade at Whittier Elementary where he also coached the basketball team (he was a consummate Hoosier) and advised students for extracurricular science projects based on his experience as a weatherman in the Air Force. In 1961 he became an administrator. He was the Assistant Principal and then Principal of Washington Elementary; and later Principal at Jefferson Elementary and Jackson Elementary. In retirement he coached and evaluated student teachers for the University of Northern Colorado and worked as a carpenter. His hobbies included trout fishing, reading, basketball, and a never ending list of do-it-yourself-projects that included major renovations of a cabin in the Collegiate Mountain Range of Colorado.

A memorial service will be conducted at 3:00pm, Saturday, January 18, 2025, in the Serenity Room, 3rd Floor, at Brookdale Skyline Senior Living, 2305 Patriot Heights (Building 1), in Colorado Springs. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Children’s Literacy Center, 2928 Straus Lane, Suite 100, Colorado Springs, CO 80907 or donate online at childrensliteracycenter.org.