“Beard, Party of Five.”

“Party? You think living with four women is a party?”

Rich was well known for this response to a restaurant hostess. He was known to take solo fishing trips, dinner in the basement, and three hours to fill a car’s gas tank – anything to escape the chaos of living with four women.  But while he often joked that he was surrounded by women, he loved his wife Rita and daughters Rachel, Rebecca, and Regan so fiercely. He was their biggest supporter in everything they did and always ready with a quick pun and sage advice. His daughters inherited his quick wit and are equally hilarious.

Rich grew up in Ottawa, IL, and married Rita Freebairn on July 22, 1972.  They attended the same high school, but it wasn’t until college that the city boy met the farm girl. Wesley may or may not have ripped the phone out of the wall during their courtship, but Rich eventually won over the parents’ hearts and hers. They were married for 52 years. Together they built a beautiful life.

Rich received football and wrestling scholarships to Truman State University, but it would always be Northeast Missouri State in his heart. (Go Bulldogs!) There he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.  He was a two-time All-American heavyweight wrestler and Truman Hall of Famer. He was all too willing to share these facts with the dates his girls brought home, complete with a visit to the framed awards wall in the den. Needless to say, his daughters were always brought home on time.

He and Rita settled in the St. Louis area where he taught and coached at Pattonville for 27 years. He was a PE and health teacher and coached thousands of athletes on the football field, wrestling mats, in the throwing circle, and occasionally on the dance stage with the high school pom squad. He was big in size, but a quiet, steady calm for countless students as a mentor, fill-in parent, and pillar of support. To this day, we can’t meet students from his tenure who didn’t know Coach Beard and have legendary stories to share.

Rich retired from teaching and coaching in 2003, and he and Rita enjoyed their early retirement traveling the country from the national parks out west, a summer in Chicago, and salmon fishing in Alaska. He enjoyed hiking, fishing, and cycling, and participated in the RAGBRAI two times. He also grew into his most important role of Pop Pop to his grandchildren Ella, Lane, Murray, Abel, and Olive. Pop Pop’s water gun fights were epic.

Richard Lawrence Beard, 76, was born November 30th, 1947, and died November 22, 2024. He is preceded in death by his parents, James (Chuck) and Veronica Beard, his sister, Karen Horne, and his nephew, Tad Forber. He is survived by his wife, daughters, sons-in-law, James Curran and Nicholas Curdt, his grandchildren, and sister, Sharon Richard, and her husband, Bill.

The family will celebrate his life privately but want to acknowledge the grace and dignity in which he handled his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. In true Rich Beard fashion, he charmed every caregiver that entered his realm, and we are forever in their debt. To honor his 31 years in education, the family is establishing a scholarship in his memory at Pattonville High School.  If you’d like to donate to the scholarship fund, checks should be payable to Pattonville School District and sent to:

Pattonville Learning Center

Attn:  Allison Collins

11097 St. Charles Rock Road

St. Ann, MO. 63074

Please add Richard Beard Memorial Scholarship to the memo line.

Richard rocked questionably short coaching shorts, a pocket full of change, a key ring with more keys than he had doors, and was never without a stash of peppermints, butterscotches, and cinnamon discs. He loved dark coffee, a good red wine, and a smooth whiskey. His love of chips, a bowl of popcorn, veggies sprinkled with garlic salt, and black jelly beans are built into the Beard genetic code. His red sauce will never be replicated.  His family is heartbroken in the wake of this loss but is relishing in the memories of a life well-lived and well-loved.