Jesse Ervin Beard

Graveside services for Jesse Ervin Beard, 97, of Eastover, SC will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, April 1, 2017 at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Road, Columbia, SC 29209 with Rev. Drew Martin officiating. The family will receive friends at Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park one hour prior to the service. Memorial may be made to Lebanon United Methodist Church, 10220 Garners Ferry Road, Eastover, SC 29044. Mr. Beard died on 3/27/2017 and is the widower of Lois Leitner Beard after 59 ½ years of marriage. Born in Miley, SC, he was a son of the late Robert Lee and Annie (Crews) Beard. A graduate of Columbia, High School, he enlisted in the US Army in 1939 rising to the grade of Captain where he retired after 21 years of faithful and honorable service. His military service took him on the invasion of North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Southern France, Germany, Belgium and later to Alaska and the Philippine Islands. He was awarded ten military medals including the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal. Jesse continued his lifetime of service and retired from the Ben Arnold Company in 1988 after 25 years. Surviving are sons: Robert Larry Beard (Dottie) of Marietta, GA, Danny E Beard of Eastover, daughter, Deborah Beard Wainwright (Randy) of Eastover, grandchildren, MaryAnn Frazee (Russell) of Columbia, SC, Vanessa and Jason Beard of Marietta, GA, Steven "Buck" Brazell (Bianca) of Columbia, and Erika Scott (Matt) of Columbia, SC, great grandchildren Connor and Jackson Brazell and Savanna Scott. Jesse also leaves behind a brother, Robert Beard of Columbia, and sisters: Ruth Harlow of Columbia, SC and Virginia Beard of Columbia, SC. Jesse was predeceased by his older brother Clarence "Eddie" Beard.