Vernon Walthon Beard passed from this life into the loving arms of Our Savior on December, 18th 2019. He was preceded in passing by his wife of 65 years, Barbara Beard, in December of 2012. He is survived by his sons Daniel and David Beard as well as their spouses Marjorie Beard and Sandra Kielsgard; grandchildren JoLecia Crowe, Christopher Beard, and Stephen Beard; and great grandchildren Colin Crowe and Hayden Crowe. Vernon was a resident of Commonwealth Senior Living in Front Royal Virginia at the time of his passing.

Vernon was born on September 3rd 1920 in Foxworth Mississippi, son of Ira and Bertie Beard. He had an older step-brother, Irone Beard; and a younger sister, Maxine Smith and was the only sibling remaining of the three. Vernon grew up in southern Mississippi farming and helping tend his father’s store. In his late teens, he volunteered for the Civilian Conservations Corps, and spent time in the western U.S. doing road construction work before returning home and enlisting in the U.S. Navy at the onset of World War II.

During World War II, Vernon serviced primarily in the Pacific Theater as a radioman. During his service which took him to the Philippines, Australia, and Okinawa. He was assigned to five different vessels, four of which were either severely damaged or sunk by enemy torpedo, mine, and kamikaze attacks. His final Pacific Theater assignment was aboard a fleet flagship where he had a ringside seat for the Battle of the Leyte Gulf. Upon his return to the States, Vernon was assigned to the U.S. Naval Barracks in Washington D.C. prior to his honorable discharge from the Navy in late 1947.

While stationed in D.C., Vernon met the love of his life, Barbara Mary Sullivan. After a whirlwind courtship, Vernon and Barbara were married and settled in Hudson Falls, New York, where they had their first child, Daniel, in August of 1948. In 1952, Vernon accepted a civilian position with the U.S. Bureau of Naval Personnel and found a home in Alexandria, Virginia, where Vernon and Barbara remained until retirement. Vernon and Barbara’s second child, David, was born there in November 1955. Once David was old enough for school, Barbara also accepted a civilian position with the Bureau of Naval Personnel, and Vernon and Barbara both worked there until retiring on the same day. They relocated to Dale City, Virginia, in 1978 and remained in Dale City until Barbara’s failing health necessitated a move to assisted living in August of 2012.

Barbara passed away on December 11th, 2012 with Vernon, her loving husband of 65 years, and her two sons at her side. In February 2013, Vernon moved from Woodbridge to Front Royal, Virginia, to be near his sons in Linden and Middletown. Vernon lived actively and independently in Front Royal until mid-November 2015 when, at age 95, he took a fall and fractured his left hip. He recovered quickly from the injury, but decided that living alone was no longer wise, not viable. So in January of 2016 Vernon moved into his new home at Commonwealth Assisted Living of Front Royal where he remained as a resident until his passing.

Funeral arrangements will be handled by Maddox Funeral Home in Front Royal, Virginia. A graveside service for Vernon will be held on Friday, December 27, 2019 at 1 P.M. in the Quantico National Cemetery where his wife, Barbara, was laid to rest in 2012.