September 7, 1932 - December 27, 1999

Decatur resident Dona Lee Beard died December 27, 1999, at Tekamah Health & Rehab following a courageous battle with lung cancer.

Services are set for Thursday, December 30, 2 p.m., at United Methodist Church in Decatur with burial following at Hillcrest Cemetery.  The Revs. Harun Gatobu and Charity Forbes will officiate.  Music will be provided by Leanne Dorathy, organist and Rod Baker, Soloist.

Pallbearers are Dan Sears, Brad Baker, Sam Titus, Lyle Larsen, Don McAllister and Rod Baker.

Friends may call between 1-8 p.m. Wednesday at Hamel-Peck-Pelan Funeral Home in Tekamah.  A prayer service will be held at 7 p.m.

She was born September 7, 1932, in Hawarden, Iowa, the daughter of Lloyd E. and Byrnece (Swift) Anderson.  Her family relocated to Decatur in 1948 and she graduated from Decatur High School in 1950.

May 28, 1953 she married Lewis L. Beard.  They were the parents of two children.

Dona Attended Dana College Following high school and taught school at Mount Pleasant country school.

She was also employed at the Burt County ASCS office, Burt County State Bank, Decatur Public Schools and for the past 20 years, was the contract health service coordinator at the Carl T. Curtis Health Center.

Mrs. Beard had a passion for music and had been the organist at the United Methodist Church in Decatur for over 45 years, playing for weddings, funerals and other special events.

Her parents preceded her in death.

Survivors include her husband of Decatur; daughter and son-in-law, Sam and Lorilee Titus of Tekamah; son, John A. Beard II and Brenda Ensminger of Columbus; three grandchildren, Kylie Lynn and S. Joshua Titus of Tekamah and Brendan James Beard of Columbus; sisters, Verlys (Derold) Pageler of Omaha, Janet (Richard) Schneider of Grand Island and Shirley (Doug) Gregerson of Omaha; brothers and sisters-in-law; nieces and nephews; and special friends, Shirley Eagleton of Decatur and Garrett Corn of Fremont.

Memorials may be directed to the family, to the United Methodist Church, Decatur, or the library fund at Decatur Elementary School.