Mrs. Mary Carolyn Crowe Beard was born in her grandfather's house in Elizabethton, Tennessee, on July 21, 1934.  He was Daniel Stover Crowe, a cabinetmaker.  She was one of five children born to the late Frank Patten Crowe and Amelia Stover Fondren Crowe.  She was a charter member of the Jonesborough Civic Trust.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Joe Ritchie Beard, on November 22, 1997, after forty two years of marriage; and four siblings, Edwin Hunter Crowe, Lt. Daniel Charles Crowe, Margaret Elizabeth Manney of Jonesbourough, TN, and Pauline Alda Musick of Greeneville, TN. She was also preceded in death a much loved grandmother, Georgia Ann Fondren, who taught her to read when she was four years old, a lifelong gift.

She is survived by her children. Ritchie Kevin Beard and his wife Mary, Amelia Anne Cohagan and her husband Rick, and Lisa Kelly Morse and her husband Gary; her grandchildren, Ritchie Lane Beard and wife Ashleigh; Lindsay Beard Smith and her husband Shawn; Jessica Ruth Cohagan Candelario and her husband Bryan; Benjamin Draper Morse; Daniel Paul Cohagan; Sarah Carolyn Morse, Mary Frances Cohagan Emerson and her husband Brendyn; great grandchildren, Maelynn June Beard, Zachary Joseph Candelario, Joanna Mary Candelario, Riley Kate Beard, Nicholas Manuel Candelario, Jospehine Ruby Emerson, and Thomas Daniel Candelario.

Mrs. Beard passed away December 21, 2023.  There will be a private graveside service at the Mountain Home National Cemetery in Johnson City, Tennessee at a later date.

LIGON & BOBO FUNERAL HOME of Lebanon (615) 444-2142   www.ligonbobo.com