Martha G. Beard

OBITUARY FOR MARTHA G. BEARD Martha G. Beard, age 74, of Waco, died Monday, September 23, 2002 at her residence. Services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 25 at Austin Ave. United Methodist Church with the Rev. Tom Robins officiating. Burial will follow at White Rock Cemetery near Ross. Services are through Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey, 6101 Bosque Blvd. Martha was born to Derward George and Mattie Sue Harris George in Blooming Grove on June 4, 1928. She graduated from TSCW in 1949 with a degree in Costume Design. Later, she attended University of Texas to pursue a teaching career. She taught in Odessa before marrying Pat Beard in 1954. Martha was a long time active member of Austin Ave. United Methodist Church where she was currently serving on the Board of Trustees. An avid patron of the arts, Martha was especially devoted to the Waco Symphony Orchestra. She was named the first woman to serve as president of the Waco Symphony Association and had previously headed the Waco Symphony Council. Martha was an early supporter of the Texas Cultural Trust Endowment Board. Locally, she served as a member of the Organizing Board of the Waco Hippodrome and had served on the Board of Directors of the Art Center of Waco where she was a long time benefactor. She had also been a benefactor of the Lyric Opera of Waco from its inception. Martha championed the causes of the underprivileged, serving for two terms as President of Caritas and remaining on its Board for many years. She was also active in the Central Texas Senior Ministry. Her interest in education led to a long-term involvement with the McLennan Community College Foundation where she served as Co-chairman of Endowment. Civically she was also involved with the Junior League of Waco, Waco Cotton Palace and Brazos Forum. As active as Martha was in her church and in Waco civic and cultural activities, her family will most remember that she made each one feel special and loved. She spent long hours sewing play dress-up clothes and attending the countless ballgames, concerts and school events in which her ten grandchildren participated. Survivors include husband, Pat Beard of Waco; daughter, Carey Casey and husband, Don of Salado; sons, Mike Beard and wife, Vicki of McGregor, Bramlet Beard and wife, Michelle of Ennis, Joe Beard and wife, Sherry of Waco, and Drs. Bob Beard and wife, Laura of Dallas; sisters, Jane Taylor of Corsicana and Bobby Jo Dyar of Falls Church, Virginia; nephew, Horace Beard of Kansas City; and ten grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Jim Jaska, Rick Jaska, Tim Jaska, Horace Beard, Rob Dunn and Frank Dunn. Memorials may be made to the Waco Symphony,Waco Symphony Association, Inc., P.O. Box 1201, Waco, TX 76703, Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2222 Welborn St., Dallas, TX 75219, or Austin Ave. United Methodist Church, 1300 Austin Ave., Waco, TX 76701. Memorial guestbook at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY