Samuel Rolland Beard

Born in Monticello, Arkansas on August 8th, 1942, he was the sixth child of Horace Samuel Beard and Seymour Gertrude Hill. His family moved from Arkansas to Bridge City, Texas where Sam spent the majority of his youth. He played football for the Bridge City High School football team, played lead guitar in a rock band and graduated in 1960. He moved to Houston, Texas with his wife Cherion Scales where he attended college. He studied mechanical engineering and received his bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Houston in 1968. In 1973, he built a house with his brothers in Spring, Texas where he lived for 51 years. He raised two children with Cherion, Shellie and Christopher. Later, he and his life partner Merilyn Reid raised Shellie’s second child, Jonathan, when his mother sadly passed away.

Sam started his career as a computer programmer for Bank of the Southwest at the dawn of the computer industry. He then went on his own to start a successful company specializing in banking and financial software, CTS, Inc. He ended his banking career as a Vice President at Chase. After retiring, Sam enjoyed buying and selling cars at auctions and did volunteer work where he taught guitar and financial literacy to inmates.

He is preceded in death by his first child, Shellie Lynn (Beard) Tichenor and both parents.

He is survived by his life partner, Merilyn Reid of Spring, Texas, his sister Ann Gorgen of Nampa, Idaho and son Chris Beard and wife Kirsten of Montgomery, Texas. Grandchildren Aaron Meachum of Denver, Colorado, Jonathan Meachum and wife Mandy of Dalhart, Texas, Michael Christopher Beard of Austin, Texas, Nicole Tichenor of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Emily Tichenor of Apple Valley, Minnesota and great-granddaughter Mya Rust of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The visitation will be held on Saturday, September 14, 2024, from 10am to 2pm with the service to follow at 2:00pm at Earthman Resthaven Funeral Home, 13102 North Freeway, Houston, Texas 77060.

The family is grateful for the kind and professional care provided by the Cooper Cottage in Spring, Texas.