Eddie Dale Beard passed away peacefully at Wellington Parke Retirement Home in Del City, OK, on July 25, 2026, at the age of 87.

He was born in 1938, in a small farmhouse north of Cushing, OK, to Hulon and Lola (Hood) Beard. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his wife, Navada Pearl (Harrington) Beard, who passed away in October of 2025.

Eddie is survived by his children, Dale and Denise Beard of Tecumseh, OK, and J.D. Beard of Oklahoma City. He is also survived by his grandchildren, whom they affectionately called "Papa" including Adam Beard of Oklahoma City; Austin and Alex Beard of Tecumseh, OK; Chad Beard of Tecumseh, OK; Gabby and Hunter Garst of Nashville, TN; and Graham Beard and Olivia Defazio of Orlando, FL. Eddie was blessed with 4 great-grandchildren, Emma, Gus, Maggie & Jack Beard. He is also survived by his brother, Don and Carol Beard of Tulsa and by many nieces, nephews and great-grand pets.

Eddie graduated from Drumright High School in 1956, where he met Navada, whom he later married in 1958. He was also baptized into Christ in 1959. He earned an associate's degree in Drafting & Design from Oklahoma State Tech School and began his career with Collins Radio in Richardson, Texas. He served six months of active duty in the Air Force and later served in the Air Force Reserves. Eddie then devoted his life to spreading the Gospel, attending the newly established Sunset School of Preaching in Lubbock, Texas, where he was part of the first graduating class in 1965. He served as a local minister for churches of Christ in Holly and Denver, Colorado, before returning to Oklahoma in 1969 to work with congregations in Hobart, Anadarko, Sayre, Mangum, and Duke. While serving as the local minister for Mangum and Duke, he also worked full time as a rural route carrier for the Post Office. He retired from the Post Office in 2019 and from the ministry in 2020.

Eddie was an avid sports fan who cheered for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Oklahoma Sooners, and the Dallas Cowboys. He collected presidential memorabilia and conducted extensive research on each president, compiling volumes of information. His favorite musical artist was Chuck Berry, and he enjoyed board games, card games, and dominoes. He, Navada, and their family shared many vacations that are fondly remembered. Eddie was remarkably meticulous; even late in life, he could account for every dime he and Navada had spent since the day they married.

Eddie will be remembered for his deep devotion to his family, the congregations he served, and the many people and communities whose lives he touched. He was well known throughout Southwest Oklahoma for serving 26 years as camp director for annual sessions at Quartz Mountain Christian Camp. His kindness to co-workers, faithful service as a postal carrier, warm friendships with fellow retirees, and gracious spirit toward the staff at Wellington Parke were deeply appreciated. During his 2 ½ years at Wellington Parke, he occasionally preached at Sunday morning worship and taught a weekly Bible class until about a month before his death.

A Celebration of Life gathering will be held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Central Church of Christ in Shawnee, OK, at 11:00 a.m. and another gathering will be held on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the Church of Christ in Duke, OK, at 1:00 p.m.