Funeral services for Ella Mae Beard, 71, of Bainbridge, were held Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013, at the Lamar Street Church of Christ, with Brother Arthur Medlock officiating. Interment was at Swanswall Cemetery, Brinson, Ga., with Kelvin Williams, Ronald Crawford, Thomas Butler Jr., Benjamin Mitchell, Brandon Cannon, Keith Crawford, and Willie Beard Jr. acting as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Pat Neal and the brothers of Lamar Street Church of Christ.
Mrs. Beard was born June 20, 1942 at Brinson, Ga. and died Sept. 22, 2013, at her residence.
She was a homemaker and a member of Lamar Street Church of Christ.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Beard; three children; and two sisters.
Survivors include her children, Denise (Wilfred) Chavers of Quincy, Fla., Janice (Stancil) Tootle, Jacqueline (Willie) Smart, Willie (Nadine), Melvin, Cedric (Tammy), and Tamiko (George) Smith of Bainbridge; 20 grandchildren; 22 great-grand-children; brother, Idson (Hazel) of Eufaula, Ala. and Charles of Miami, Fla.; sisters,
Retha (Watt) Baldwin, Annette, Debra, Lorene, Mary, Bobbie Mae, Frances and Eddierea (Donald) Merkison, and a host of other relatives and friends.
Bruton Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.