Carolyn Beard

Carolyn Medlin Beard, 82, of Jacksonville, passed away Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 PM on Saturday evening, January 18, 2025 at Jones Funeral Home, Jacksonville Chapel. Graveside funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, January 19, 2025 at the Bailey Cemetery in Bailey. 

 Mrs. Beard was a daughter of the late James Richard Medlin and Beulah Lamm Medlin. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Arnold Beard.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years, Robert R. Beard of the home; one daughter, Melinda B. Maloney and her husband, Patrick of Jacksonville; her brother, James D. Medlin and his wife, Teresa of Bailey; seven grandchildren, Shaun Maloney and his wife, Ashley, Conner Maloney and his wife, Karen, Ian Maloney and his wife, Kim, Dillan Maloney, Caroline Beard, Catherine Beard and Matthew Beard.

Born in Bailey, she was raised on a tobacco farm by wonderful parents. She excelled in her academics at Bailey High School and was a majorette in the Marching Band, where she would stand in front of her future husband as he played the trombone. She was also an accomplished pianist and enjoyed playing for people during recitals. An avid reader, she could read through a good book in a single night.

Carolyn met Robert at White Oak Hill FWB Church and courted him until they married on September 19, 1959.

After Robert served in the Army, they moved to Jacksonville where he worked for Trailways Bus Company. Their first child James was born on April 23, 1962 and Melinda followed on April 2, 1964.

Carolyn enrolled and graduated from Coastal Carolina Community College with a degree in Business. She then went to work for the Bank of NC in New River. She later agreed to take a job with Vocational Rehabilitation for the State of NC, where she worked for 30 years before retiring. 

She was a wonderful gardener and every spring you would find her at the nurseries picking out flowers for her pot and flower beds.

 Above all, she adored her children and grandchildren. If she wasn’t at home whipping up a cake for Robert or cooking a delicious meal, you would find her spending time with her family in the pool or at the beach collecting sea shells. She was the best! She cherished her family and a day will not go by that we don’t miss her silly, funny self.

 “I didn’t have to be famous or build monuments. My two greatest accomplishments were my children”.    - Carolyn Beard

Arrangements by Wilson Memorial Service, 2811 Fieldstream Dr. N, Wilson, (252) 237-7171; www.wilsonmemorialservice.com