James Harold Beard, 98, died Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. He was born Jan. 6, 1924, in Lowell to William Lephley Beard and Martha Jane Jones Beard.

Raised on a farm between Lowell and Cave Springs, Harold attended school at Center Corner School until seventh grade, then attended New Hope School for the eighth grade. When he was 17, he went out west riding a steam engine across the Rocky Mountains to Blackrock, Utah, to work on the railroad. He returned to northwest Arkansas, joining his parents and younger siblings who had moved to Pea Ridge, where he met, then married Celia Louis Easley on July 5, 1944.

The young couple spent their wedding night traveling to Kansas City by bus to return to his job at a defense plant making bombers for World War II. Within the year, at the request of his father-in-law, Edgar Easley, the couple returned to Pea Ridge to help raise Louise's five younger brothers and sisters after the death of her mother. Her father died soon thereafter and the couple worked the farm and raised the children, the youngest of whom — Joyce and Jackie — called them Mom and Dad. They later had two children in addition to raising the younger Easley children — Lee, John, Joann, Joyce and Jackie Easley. He was known as Grandpa to many, including his Easley nieces and nephews. His hard work and faithfulness was admired by many.

From 1951 to 1957, he drove a milk truck for Kraft Foods. From 1957 to 1959, he raised chickens and milked cows. From 1963 to 1985 he purchased Holstein dairy cattle from Rainbow Ranch east of his farm on Sugar Creek, to begin a dairy. From 1959 to 1971, he purchased and drove another milk route for Kraft. In 1971, he began driving a school bus for the Pea Ridge School District, a position from which he retired in 1991. He was the bus driver for two generations of Pea Ridge school students many of whom praised his kindness. He raised a dairy herd and milked cows from 1971 until the government buy-out in 1985. He then raised beef cattle.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Louise Easley Beard; a grandson, Michael Justin Scism; seven sisters, Thurma Rozar, Roena Wells, Annette Alderson, Era Mabry, Vida Marler, Ada Marie Davenport and Berniece Beard; sister-in-law, Leota Beard; sisters-in-law, Catherine Easley, Joann Collins and Joyce Foster; brothers-in-law Carl Easley, Lee Easley, John Easley and Jackie Easley.

Survivors include his son, James Doyle Beard of Pea Ridge; his daughter, Linda Jean (Pete) VanZandvoord of Little Flock; brothers, Clint Beard of Lowell and Layne (Connie) Beard of Pea Ridge; 10 grandchildren, Christy (Shawn) Guthrie of Garfield, Sara (and Scott) Basinger of Clever, Mo., Rachel (Landon) Thurman of Pea Ridge, Rebekah (Brian) King of Pea Ridge, Hannah (Blake) Hoffman of Pea Ridge, Mary (Cody) Linker of Goshen, Deborah (Justin) Bowen of Pea Ridge, Daniel Beard of Greenland, Joseph (Kecia) Beard of Sulphur Springs and Samuel Beard of Pea Ridge; 18 great-grandchildren, Courtney Norwood of Prairie Creek, Emily (Sam) McClish of Bella Vista, Zach Norwood of Nebraska, Andrew, Jordan, Ezra and Shiloh Basinger of Clever, Mo., Kaden, Easton and Parker Thurman of Pea Ridge, Nathan, Skylar and Raegan King of Pea Ridge, Ayla Hoffman of Pea Ridge, Liam and Aspen Linker of Goshen, Mia Bowen of Pea Ridge and Maya Beard of Pea Ridge; two great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation is from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, 2022, in First Baptist Church Pea Ridge. Funeral service is at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, in First Baptist Church. Burial will be in Buttram Chapel Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Scott Basinger, Landon Thurman, Brian King, Blake Hoffman, Cody Linker, Justin Bowen, Daniel Beard, Joseph Beard, Samuel Beard and Nathan King. Honorary pallbearers are Zach Norwood, Jerry Collins, Ralph Easley and Ray Easley.

Online condolences may be made at siscofuneralhome.net