James Beard

Youngsville – James Arnold Beard, 61, died Thursday, June 8, 2023.

Funeral, Thursday, 1:00 PM, Wilson Memorial Service, followed by a short time of visiting and sharing.  Burial, Bailey Cemetery.

He was a kind, loving, and caring man that loved working in his yard and planting flowers. He was the kind of man who wouldn’t hesitate to give you the shirt off his back. James was a walking, talking history book and read numerous books on the Civil War. He would sit down anytime to chat about history or his favorite past time learning family genealogy and sharing with his family. There wasn’t a day that went by when James didn’t talk about his grandaddy and grandma, James and Beulah Medlin. He loved them and his MaMa with all his heart.

James passed away peacefully at 7:00 AM on June 8. He was born April 23, 1962, to Carolyn and Robert Beard. James was an easy-going, loving, little boy who loved playing on the farm and driving John Deere tractors with his granddaddy. He spent his time between Jacksonville and Bailey where he spent his summers on his grandparents’ farm in the tobacco fields and making his sister get up early to pick cucumbers with him. If he wasn’t with grandaddy, you would find him down at the fishing hole or searching for arrowheads.

He graduated from East Carolina University where he studied psychology and received his master’s in history. He was a member of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans and a high school teacher for 25 years. He was also an avid member of the marching band of high school, ECU, and the president of the Jaycee’s of Louisburg in 1995.

Surviving is his wife, Diane Baxter Beard; children, Caroline Elizabeth Beard (fiancé, Chris Phyfer), Catherine Lynn Beard and son, J, Matthew Beard all of Youngsville; parents, Robert and Carolyn Medlin Beard of Jacksonville; sister, Melinda B. Maloney (Patrick); their four sons, Shaun, (Ashley) Conner, Ian, (Kim), Dillan and two great nieces, Olivia Maloney and Aubree Maloney all of Jacksonville.

“For a true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.”

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