Libby Beard

Sarah Elizabeth (Libby) Phelps Beard passed away peacefully on June 23, 2017 in Sugar Land, TX at the age of 90. She was born on June 4, 1927 in Knoxville, IA to Claude Allison Phelps and Ella Glenn Gaylord Phelps.

During the Great Depression, the Phelps family moved to Detroit, MI and then to Birmingham, MI where Libby spent her growing up years. She attended Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, VA, graduating in June 1950 with a B.A. degree in Psychology. While in Fredericksburg, Libby met her husband, Donald Chamberlain Beard, “Mr. Don”. They were married on March 10, 1951 at Kirk in the Hills, a Presbyterian Church in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Soon afterwards, Mr. Don began a 35 year employment with Shell Oil Company, transferring every 2 or 3 years to a different state. The last transfer was in 1973 to Houston, TX where Libby, along with her family, was an active member of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church.

Although never employed outside the home, Libby enjoyed a full life complete with managing each Shell transfer, volunteering in each community, school and church where the family lived. Her favorite was teaching Sunday School. Libby’s family and friends have been blessed by her outgoing personality, a love of talking to people and her prayers for all she knew.

Libby is preceded in death by Mr. Don, her husband of 53 years, her parents, Claude and Glenn Phelps, brother Claude Phelps, sisters Clara Swayze, Martha Tillotson, Roxa Dill, Arlene Nichol and niece Carol Watson. She is survived by her three daughters Shelley Russell and husband Keith, Linda Creech, and Donna Hanson and husband Scott. Also surviving are grandchildren Melissa DeLaGarza and husband Valdo, Emily Marks and husband Adam, Stephanie Dawson and husband Marvin, Matt Russell, and great grandchildren Augie and Mac DeLaGarza, and Wade and Westin Marks. She is also survived by two brothers-in-law and many nieces and nephews.

The family would especially like to thank the staff and caregivers of Silverado Senior Living and Silverado Hospice in Sugar Land, TX for their superb care of Libby during the last years of her life. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, 11612 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77024 or Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org or mail: 8180 Greensboro Dr, Suite 400, McLean, VA 22102).