Leo M. Beard

Leo Beard, 96, of Mt. Pleasant, passed away peacefully Monday, December 12, 2011, at Woodland Hospice House, surrounded by his family. His funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, December 16, at Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home, 2300 S. Lincoln Rd., with Rev. Dennis Bromley of Clare First Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in New Haven Center Cemetery in Gratiot County. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and on Friday one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to VFW National Home for Children, 3573 S. Waverly Rd., Eaton Rapids, MI 48827, Humane Animal Treatment Society, P.O. Box 732, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804-0732; or Woodland Hospice, 2597 S. Meridian Rd., Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858. Leo was born in Montcalm County, near Carson City, on March 7, 1915. He was the third son of Earl and Mildred (Foote) Beard. The family later relocated to Crystal Lake in order to help with his grandfathers businesses in that area. Leo started school at Crystal Elementary School but later attended Pine Grove Elementary when he moved to the farm of his maternal grandparents, William and Clara Foote. He also resided with two of his special aunts, Aunt Annie, and Aunt Nellie until finishing eighth grade. Later, he joined his mother, in Alma, where he received his high school degree in 1935. While in high school, Leo was voted captain of the Alma High School football team for three consecutive years, while continuing as a member of the U.S 106th Calvary National Guard. After high school Leo began to work at a Gulf Service Station until given the opportunity to buy into a Gulf Oil distributorship and jobber company, in Ithaca. This company became known as Hub Oil Company, for which Leo was the president in 1937. He met and married his wife, Glenna, after hiring her to help his sister, Margaret, with bookkeeping and clerical work in Ithaca. During World War II, Leo enlisted in the U.S. Army at the end of 1942. He began service in the European Theatre from January 1943 to November 1945 as a parts expediter and dispatcher. He was a Staff Sergeant, 3rd Army, serving under General Patton, with the 521st Ordinance Heavy Maintenance Field Army Company. He received the following metals while serving his county: Normandy Campaign, (arriving the 2nd day of the invasion), North France, Rhineland Central Europe, American Campaign, Good Conduct, Europe American Mideast (with five bronze stars) and Victory World War II. Upon his return from the service, Leo retained his presidential position at Hub Oil Company but soon decided to move to Mt. Pleasant in order to start the Leo Beard Lincoln-Mercury Automobile Dealership from 1946 until 1966. After that he continued to work in petroleum as the president of Beard Oil Company until his retirement in 2005. Leo was very fond of nature and loved animals. During his lifetime he had numerous types of animals and pets; a small fox, a goat and cart, riding and driving horses, several best friend dogs, Llamas, bison, cattle and calves, and fish ponds (no fish fries allowed!) He enjoyed photography and taking pictures of wild animals on hunting trips, at his home in Clare and on his farm. In 1943 he married his wife, Glenna Shuttleworth of Middleton, Michigan, who survives him, and celebrated his 68th anniversary in July 2011. To this union were born three children, Mark William (Linda), of Mt. Pleasant, Leonna Kay (Rick) Mousa of Snellville, GA, and Kathy Lynette (Jerry) Evans of Clare. Leo also has seven grandchildren, Amie and Mark R. Beard, Adam and Anastasia Mousa, and Jayme, Jessie and Jerry Leo Evans. Also surviving are Leos sister-in-law, Leona Beard; two half-brothers, Harold and Eugene; three half-sisters, Virgileen, Lorraine and Patricia; and many nieces and nephews; plus his very loyal and special canine companion, Abby. Leo was preceded in death by his parents; baby brother, Nile; brother, Leland; sister, Margaret; and half sisters, Virginia, Geraldine and Irene.