Neva Katherine Beard

Neva was born June 10, 1921 in Oklahoma City, OK to Azle E. and Allie Mae (Mitchell) Teter. She spent most of her youth in the Midwest, especially In Iowa. She attended AIB business school after graduating from high school. During World War II she moved to California to help contribute to the war effort in the defense industry by doing office work. She married Ted Foster Beard, recently a captain in the Air Force whom she had known before the war, on October 21, 1945 in Des Moines, Iowa. She and her husband continued to live in Iowa while Ted finished college on the GI Bill and began his career in business and accounting. Four of their five children were born in Des Moines before the family moved, eventually settling in southern California, where their fifth child was born. After Ted’s death in 1975 from cancer at the age of 54, Neva remained in southern California but eventually moved to the Northwest to be closer to her children who had all settled in Oregon and Washington. She came to Cottage Grove in 1988 and stayed put in one house for the longest period of her life before moving to a Salem retirement residence in November 2011.

Throughout her life Neva had many different occupations: working in banks, doing bookkeeping work, managing a chiropractor’s office, and selling real estate in California. She even led an active exercise program specifically for seniors both in Cottage Grove and at her latest residence in Salem. But her main occupation and her true identity was that of homemaker. She delighted in her family and loved having them around for “fun and games”, and one the joys of her life was the annual Thanksgiving celebration of the Beard clan in Cottage Grove. She spent the day before her death with two of her grown grandchildren at her daughter’s house in Salem playing Wii bowling and card games and always laughing. Her death came quickly from a ruptured aneurysm. She lived a long and very full life.

Neva is survived by her four daughters and spouses: Barbara Kaye Bonillas (and Hal) of Cottage Grove, Vonnie Hamel (and Dennis) of Orcas Island, WA, Teddi Beard (and Debra Arends) of Salem, and Tamara Marston of Ashland, OR and by her son Tim Beard (and Barbara) of Bellevue, WA. She also leaves a legacy of loving memories to her twelve grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Flowers will be appreciated or donations can be made to Mid-Valley Rehabilitation in Neva Beard’s name. A Memorial Service followed by reception will be held Saturday, October 6 at 1:30pm at Howell-Edwards-Doerksen with Rigdon-Ransom Funeral Directors. To leave audio or online condolences please visit www.HED-FH.com.

There is also a YouTube Memorial Video "Neva Beard Memorial" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USLORFkjIOo