Selma Hahr Wight was born on January 2, 1920 in Atlanta, Georgia, to Ward Wight and Rebecca Stewart Wight. She attended Spring Street Elementary School, North Fulton High School and Florida State College for Women. Selma was a member of the Atlanta Debutante Club where she was a 1939 Gone with the Wind debutante. She was also a member of Northside United Methodist Church, Piedmont Driving Club, Colonial Dames of America, and Habersham Garden Club.
On November 20, 1941, Selma married Richard A. Beard, Jr., Col. USMC, ret. She accompanied her husband across the United States during the war as he trained Marine pilots before deploying to the Pacific. During this time, she studied with many revered artists and schools of art around the country. Selma was a lifelong artist in many mediums producing a prolific body of work in a wide range of styles. As an art teacher, she inspired many Atlantans to become painters. Always one to understand the importance of family and advice passed down, in 1984, Selma published a cookbook entitled From Mother with Love consisting of letters and recipes received from her mother when she was a young war bride learning to run a home. She was a woman who always found a way to accomplish what she wanted in life and let nothing deter her. She was still creating art a week before her death. Selma lived her life to the fullest and left many with wonderful memories of being in her company.
Mrs. Beard was predeceased by her husband of 53 years, her parents and her brothers Ward Wight, Jr. and Stewart Wight and her sister Rebecca Wight Cherry. She is survived by her sister Alice Wight McDonough. Selma and Dick had four children, Richard A. Beard, III (Lea), Tampa Fl, Selma Beard Spurlin (Tom), Atlanta, Ga, Michael R. Beard (Carol), Pensacola, Fl, and Robert Beard (Bibhu Mohapatra), New York, NY, all of whom survive her. Also surviving her are six grandchildren, Pearce Spurlin, Jr. (Christy), Allison Beard Luzier (Tom), Michael Roane Beard, Jr. (Christy), Maggie Spurlin Hanes (Chris), Richard A. Beard, IV (Mia), and Temple Beard Roberts (Daniel) and eleven great-grandchildren.
A private family service was held on her 101st birthday.
