JoAnn Beard

Following the birth of her older brother, Alfred Sinclair, she was born in Cotton Valley, Louisiana on April 9, 1935, to Harriet and Troy Sinclair. After her father passed away in 1944, she moved to Houston, Texas along with her brother, mother, and stepfather, Ralph Victor Wiley. She attended Washington Junior High, where she met the love of her life, Melvin Ray Beard. She then attended and graduated from Reagan High School where she was a member of the Reagan RedCoats and continued to date Melvin whom she married in 1953 shortly after graduating high school.

During their nearly 66 years of marriage, they were blessed with four children: Gary Lee, who died shortly after birth; Susan Lynn; Melvin Brian who died in 1994; and Cynthia Ann. JoAnn dedicated her life to being a housewife and raising their surviving three children in faith and service. In her spare time, she often helped Melvin in operating his own insurance company. She and Melvin were very active as members of West End Baptist Church and then Tallowood Baptist Church where they served as teachers and directors of Sunday School and members of many different committees. She is perhaps best remembered for hosting and entertaining close friends at their home and taking care of friends who had experienced illness and loss. After the death of her husband in 2019, JoAnn went to live in Los Angeles, California with her daughter and son-in-law, Cindy and Ryne. While living in Los Angeles, she went to church and spent time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. More than anything else, she enjoyed spending time with her great-grandchildren and was blessed to have known all six of them.

JoAnn is preceded in death by her mother, father, brother, two sons, and her husband.

She is survived by her daughter, Susan Lynn Istre and her daughter and son-in-law, Cynthia Ann Niner and Ryne Niner; four grandchildren: Sarah Elizabeth Istre Brown; Ryne Wade Niner and his wife, Lindsay; Christopher John Istre and his wife, Staci; and Kelsey Lynn Niner Ong and her husband, Cody; and six great-grandchildren: Jacob Curtis Brown, Collins Marie Istre, Brooks Allen Istre, Grace Evelyn Niner, Wyatt James Ray Ong, and Kate Ella Niner.

A Celebration of JoAnn’s Life will be held at a graveside service on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at 1:00 at Brookside Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13747 Eastex Fwy; Houston, Texas.

Mom was a great mother and a good friend to my sister and I who gave us the greatest gift a mother can give, our faith in Jesus Christ. Enjoy the peace and glory you now live in. It’s well-deserved. We’ll see you down the road. All our love.