John Lewis Beran

He was born April 20th, 1930 to John and Elizabeth (Krejci) Beran in their home, a large 2-story stucco house, across from Beran’s Gin, where he worked for 70 plus years.

He attended Moulton High School, played on the basketball team and graduated in 1948.

He married Adela Kloesel, an ‘ole country gal’ from Komensky on April 25th, 1950 in Moulton’s St Joseph’s Catholic Church. Shortly after, that same year, he left for basic training in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. After 4 years of marriage, they had one son, Brian.

John loved to fish, hunt and play pool but more than anything, he loved The Gin and all the friends he made there. No one was a stranger to him and if he didn’t know you, he would sit in “that black chair” that leans back way too far, and get to know you. That is where he could always be found if you needed advice about mixing feed, hatching eggs, growing crops or cracking pecans. Even if you didn’t need advice, he may have given it to you anyway because he knew everything about everything. His mind was a steel trap and he never forgot a name, a face, a place or an event – past or present. He was great with his hands and could fix anything. He could make whatever he needed out of practically nothing.

He loved his white Charolais cattle, his geese, and in his lifetime, he and his wife raised over 12,000 pigs for market.

He was a member of St Joseph Catholic Church, The American Legion, and the Post Oak Hog association. He served on the Moulton School Board.