Donald "Don" Pierce Bearden

After struggling with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease) for several years, Donald, “Don”, Pierce Bearden peacefully went to his forever home on January 14, 2024. He was born on September 9, 1958, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to Jacklyn Sue Pierce Adcock and Donald Bert Richards.

Don is preceded in death by his grandparents Milford and Sallie Pierce, his mother and father, stepfather Dan Bearden, sister Karen West and beloved dog Shelby. He is survived by his loving wife of 20 years, Tamara Havner of Sheridan; brother, Dennis Bearden (LuAnne) of Hot Springs; sister Lisa Evans of Hensley; and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Don was a 1976 graduate of Central High School in Little Rock where he played the tuba in the Tiger Marching Band. In 1980 he graduated from Hendrix College in Conway with a bachelor’s degree in biology. Jobs being scarce after college, Don used his love of photography and opened a studio. He later took a job at Uniforce where he taught himself CAD software and utilized his creative talents to design speed boat dash boards. This segued into a position teaching graphic design at Remington College in Little Rock. The career Don enjoyed most was being an IT specialist with Region’s Bank (formerly First Commercial) for 19 years. He enjoyed tackling technical problems and interacting with all the employees. Don loved his years at the bank and made many good friends there.

The only title that truly can describe Don is “Renaissance Man”- one who is knowledgeable, self-taught, sociable, artistic, inventive, and a gentleman. From an early age, Don had a great love for all animals and had iguanas, snakes, lizards, turtles, and dogs as pets. His time volunteering at the Little Rock Zoo with the reptiles and amphibians was one of his fondest memories.

Growing up in the space age fueled Don’s interest in science and technology. On many summer days, Don could be found around his Hillcrest neighborhood building rockets using saltpeter from the local drug store. In 1998 Don collaborated with a professor at the University of Arkansas to design and develop a robotic arm. His love for innovation sparked his interest in electric vehicles. Don bought an old, beat-up Mazda B-series truck, took out the engine, installed a fork-lift motor, and got it up and running using a series of lead acid car batteries. He also worked with the city to install some of the first changing stations in Little Rock.

Don was an avid bicyclist in his younger years. Racing bikes were fun but terribly uncomfortable on long rides as he got older. He was very resourceful and took pieces of several bicycles to build a long wheel-based recumbent. The cycle was very heavy, but that did not stop him from riding for many years in the MS150 Ride at Pettit Jean. Don was so proud the year he made it to the finish line at the top!

Don’s greatest passion was music. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, ELO, and Led Zepplin were some of his favorite rock groups growing up in the 1970s. But the genre he loved most was jazz – America’s music. Don could be found most evenings sitting in his rocking chair listening to Pat Metheny or Bob James.

Being disappointed with the quality of most over-ear headphones, Don embarked on a mission to produce the perfect pair. He taught himself how to use 3D printers and developed an Acoustic Resonator for Audio Headphones for which he was awarded a patent in 2017. Don was quite a perfectionist and modified the style and sound over several years. If you received a pair of Don’s headphones, you could truly appreciate the all the hard work and love he put into them.

Don was a member of the Church at Rock Creek where he met his wife, Tamara, in 2003. She first noticed Don when got up and sang “Play That Funky Music White Boy” at a singles group karaoke night. The two were married on April 24th, 2004, and enjoyed almost 20 years of life, love, and travel. Their favorite vacation was a trip to Ireland where Don was able to connect with a distant cousin!

Don had so many wonderful traits, but the one that shined most was his kindness. He was a man of great, Godly character who always took care of his family and friends. He served on the technical, worship, and usher teams at Rock Creek.

In August 2022, Don was diagnosed with ALS- the disease that claimed the life of his father. Tamara is very grateful to the staff of the Vista Unit at Presbyterian Village and Hospice Home Care for the love, compassion, and care Don received over his last months. She would also like to thank Dr. Neil Masangkay and the staff at the neurology clinic at UAMS for the wonderful care Don received during the progression of his disease.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at the Church at Rock Creek, 11500 West 36th St, Little Rock, AR 72211. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the ALS Association at www.als.org or Feed Arkansas Kids at www.feedarkansaskids.com.