Bobby Gatewood Beard died at Cape Fear Valley hospital on March 30, 2022.   He was 3 weeks shy of being 93 years old.

He grew up in Eastover NC on the family farm with no electricity or running water.  He joined the Navy in 1948 and served in Japan and Korea.   He moved back to NC after being discharged from the Navy and was later introduced to Margaret Dempsey and they were married in 1955.   He worked for Johnson Cotton Company and later became a realtor and contractor at Arran Realty.  He and his business partner developed Arran Lakes and Arran Hills subdivisions off Bingham Drive as well as Southwood Apartments.   He retired in 1986.

He enjoyed time with family and working in his wood shop.  He and Margaret were longstanding members of The Village Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his wife Margaret Dempsey Beard, his parents, William Jennings Beard and Ruth Jenkins Beard, and his sister, Peggy Beard Adamson of Knoxville, TN.

Surviving are children, Susan Palumbo of Asheboro, NC and Brian Beard of Greensboro, NC, sister, Judy Edwards of Eastover, NC, 3 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Monday, April 4, 2022, at 1pm in the Fireside Room at The Village Baptist Church. A Memorial service will follow at 2 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Samaritans Purse Donor Ministries, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC   28607 https://samaritanspurse.org/ or The Village Baptist Church 906 McPherson Church Rd., Fayetteville, NC.  28303 https://www.thevillagebc.church/

Online condolences may be sent to www.jerniganwarren.com

Services entrusted to Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home, 545 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301

Samaritan's Purse
P. O. Box 3000, Boone NC 28607
Tel: 1-828-262-1980
Web: http://www.samaritanspurse.org

Village Baptist Church
906 S. McPherson Church Rd., Fayetteville NC 28303
Tel: 1-910-678-7178
Web: http://www.thevillagebc.church