Kenneth Beard

Kenneth W. Beard, 67, of Jackson died Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2005, at Jackson Manor.

He was born Aug. 5, 1937, at Kennett, Mo., son of Bill and Melba Jackson Beard. He and Ella Mae Thorne were married Nov. 3, 1956, in Jackson.

Beard was raised at Rockview, Mo., and moved to Cape Girardeau in 1954. He was a mechanic at the former Herb's Texaco and White's Standard. He did mechanic work in St. Louis and then moved to Jackson, where he worked at the former Grantham's Auto Repair.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Ronny Beard of Morley, Mo., Don Beard of Jackson; two daughters, Brenda Ates of Egypt Mills, Linda Beckett of Cape Girardeau; his mother of Jackson; two brothers, Darrell Beard of Jackson, Jim Roberts of Fountain, Fla.; two sisters, Barbara Mackey of Cincinnati, Ohio, Bernice Welch of Ash Flat, Ark.; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father.

Friends may call at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson from 4 to 8 p.m. today.

The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Mike Huffman officiating. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery.