Bruce M. Beard Jr., age 88, passed away in his daughter’s Silver Spring, Md., home on Friday, June 22, 2012.
Mr. Beard lived in many places, but none for as long as he lived in Washington N.C. He was born in McComb, Miss., and served in the Army in the European Theater during WWII. After graduating from LSU, he wrote for the New Orleans States newspaper covering petty crime and obituaries. Mr. Beard went to work doing PR for the Louisiana Forestry Commission and ended up working as a Madison Avenue ad executive during the “Mad Men” heyday of advertising in 1950’s and 1960’s New York. He received several Clio and Addy awards for his work. With his wife, Dorothy, he launched the weekly newspaper, the West Windsor-Plainsboro Chronicle, in 1973. Mr. Beard retired to Pamlico Plantation with his wife, Dorothy, in 1986. He was President of the homeowners association for several years. He indulged his hobbies of gardening, cooking and model building for many years before moving to Maryland last year.
He is survived by his daughter, Jane, and her husband Jeffrey Davis, of Silver Spring, Md.; a daughter, Anne, of Tampa, Fla.; six grandchildren and one great-grandson. Mr. Beard was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy, and two children, Ellen and Monty. He will be interred in Washington N.C., next to his wife.
The family will receive friends from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday at the home located at 209 Channel Run, Pamlico Plantation, Washington, N.C.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his name to his most recent NPR station, WAMU. Attn: P. Jackson, WAMU 88.5, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20016. He listened to NPR 24/7, and it would make him happy.
Pamlico Funeral and Cremation Service of Washington is serving the Beard family.