Dorris Loretta Beard, 78, Kokomo, transitioned home to be with her heavenly Father on Sunday, August 11, 2013, at 4:50 a.m. She was born August 22, 1934, in Olmstead, Kentucky, to Thedore and Georgia Bell (Evans) Gaines. Dorris was united in holy matrimony to Wesley M. Beard on June 25, 1955, and he preceded her in death on April 28, 2012.
She graduated from Logan County High School in Olmstead, Kentucky, and, in 1952, she moved to Kokomo and attended IUK. She worked at Delco Electronics and retired from there after 31 years. She volunteered for a dyslexia foundation in Indianapolis and also at Goodfellows of Kokomo. She was a member of Local UAW 292 and Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church.
She is survived by three daughters, Nerissa Gibson and Patrice Kimani, both of Kokomo, and Renee (Morris) Akins, Westchester, Ohio; three sons, Kenneth (Susie) Gaines, Anthony Beard, and Marcus Beard, all of Kokomo; 14 grandchildren, Carlos Gaines, Kyle Beard, Alexis Barbary, Bobby Freeman, Tinea Beard, Ohseona Barbary, Mikayla Beard, Reis Beard, and Jordan Beard, all of Kokomo, Julian Akins, San Mateo, California, Jarrett Akins and Breona Akins, both of Westchester, Ohio, Lisha Brown, Cleveland, Ohio, and Darshania Strait, San Antonio, Texas; 16 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; brother-in-law, Lonnie Brown; special cousins, Shirley (Bob) Washington, Nashville, Tennessee, Clarence (Maria) Gamble, Olmstead, Kentucky, and Eleanor (Daniel) Beard, Kokomo; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Kevin W. Beard; sons-in-law, Peter Kimani and Bud Gibson; brothers, Garnett Gaines and Clarence Gaines; and sister-in-law, Emma Gaines.
The family wishes to acknowledge all the kindness shown to them during their time of bereavement and a special thank you to the nurses at St. Joseph Hospital’s intensive care unit and Amber, Ashley, and Stacy at Fairmount Nursing Home.
The funeral will be held at 12 p.m. on Monday at Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, 1599 E. Sycamore St., Kokomo, with Pastor Lonnie Anderson eulogist. Entombment will follow in Sunset Memory Garden Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Monday at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. Messages of condolence may be expressed online at www.sunsetmemorygarden.com. Sunset Memory Garden Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.
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