Lois Mae Beard

Lois Mae Beard, age 87 of Kingsford Heights, IN, died at 9:10 PM, Friday, September 14, 2012 at I.U. Health LaPorte Hospital. She was born July 2, 1925 in Roane County, Tennessee, Daughter of the late John Henry Picklesimer and the late Mae Belle Carolina Keener. On December 6, 1946 in Dalton, GA, she married Gentry Harrison Beard. She was a seamstress, loved cooking, and gardening. She was a member of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 434. She was a lifelong member of the Swan Pond Baptist Church in Kingston, TN. She lived the last nineteen years in Kingsford Heights, IN. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gentry Harrison Beard, Sr.; her parents; 2 sons, Gentry H. Beard, Jr., and Charles A. Beard; 2 brothers, Tom Henry and Charlie Tillman Picklesimer; 4 sisters, Pauline Davis, Winnie Manis, Lewellyn O'Quinn, Vera Purdy, and Francis Irene Wingate; granddaughter, Stacy Picklesimer; grandson, Dana Beard; great granddaughter, Ambor Jo Picklesimer. Surviving are 5 daughters, Patricia (Delmon) Lindsey of Hamlet, IN., Darlena Faye (Larry) Harshman of Nashville, MI., Lois Jeanette (Thomas) Petri of Cairo, GA, Sherain Smeaton of Michigan City, and Wilma Jewett of Harriman, TN; 1 son, James Henry Beard of Nashville, MI; 21 Grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren, 6 great great grandchildren, 2 step grandchildren, 5 step great grandchildren; 2 sisters, Barbara June Schoof of Charlotte, NC, and Ruby Hash of Louisville, KY; 2 brothers, William H. Picklesimer of Albertville, AL, and Gilbert Walton Picklesimer of Charlotte, NC. Friends will be received from 4-7 PM Monday, September 17, 2012 at the Cutler Funeral Home, LaPorte, IN. The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 434 will conduct a Memorial Service at 6:45 PM Monday at the Cutler Funeral Home; followed be A Celebration of Life Service at 7 PM. Monday with Rev. Ann Dill officiating. A Graveside Service and Interment will follow in the Swan Pond Baptist Cemetery, Harriman, TN at 11 AM E.S.T., Thursday, September 20, 2012. A time of visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 19 from 5-7 PM E.S.T. at the Kyker Funeral Home, 430 Morgan Street, Harriman, TN. Contributions may be made to V.N.A. Hospice, 901 S. Woodland, Michigan City, IN 46360 or The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 434, P.O. Box 434, Kingsford Heights, IN 46346.

Lois Mae Beard

July 2, 1925 - September 14, 2012