Jeanette Beard

Welling, OK- Gladys “Jeanette” Beard was born on May 5th, 1933 in Oklahoma City, OK, the daughter of Joseph Arthur and Gladys Ophia (Lancaster) Powell. She grew up in a home with one brother, Arthur and one sister, Sue. She attended Kiowa School in McAlester, OK. On October 30th, 1948, she married her best friend, Richard Beard, this union lasted 63 years, until Richard’s passing in 2012, and they were blessed with five children, Debra, Jeanette, Billy, Cynthia, and Richard. Gladys was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, always working to make her house a home for her family. You could find her in the kitchen making her famous baked chicken, salads and pasta dishes, and of course her wonderful zucchini cake. She was always running around the yard with her family, Richard in his vegetable gardens, Jeanette in her flower beds. She was gifted with needle work, she could crochet, embroidery, and kept everyone in the family with new tea towels for birthdays and holidays. She loved people and loved to share the latest news. She possessed a wonderful sense of humor, and was the friendly neighbor you were always happy to see. Her children and grandchildren were every thing to Jeanette. She loved keeping up with all their activities, and also served as the family historian. Her husband passed in 2012, and she moved to the Welling Community. Her health began to fail her and she passed from this life on February 11th, 2017 at her home in Welling with her loved ones by her side. She was 83 years old. She leaves a void in the family that can never be filled.

Jeanette is preceded in death by her mother, father, one daughter, Cynthia Duncan in 1972, one son, Richard Bricent Beard in 2003, husband Richard in 20102, one brother, Arthur Powell, and one grandson, Michael Lea.

Those left to cherish her memory include her loving children, Debra Varley of Tahlequah, OK, Jeanette Lea of Welling, OK, and one son, Billy Beard and wife Trish of Corinth, TX. She leaves one sister, Sue Barnett of Stilwell, OK, and her adored grandchildren, Bobby Spradling, Richard Lea, Brandy Beard-Laney, and Logan Beard. Her six great grandchildren include Nikki Spradling, Kerstin Spradling, Evver Spradling, Ryan Lea, Bricent Lea, and Kaleigh Laney as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones.