Joe Harvey Beard Sr.

February 28, 1947 — December 31, 2023

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Joe H Beard, Sr. of Wilton Manors, Florida. Departing on the afternoon of Dec 31, 2023, he passed peacefully at home after living an abundant life, filled with the love of his family and friends.

A Celebration of Life and Memorial will be held on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 2:00 PM at Immanuel Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale, 1039 NE 3 Avenue, 33304.

He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, mentor, uncle, cousin, nephew and friend. He had a deep love for his friends and he was loved and respected by everyone who knew him.

He is preceded in death by his father, Charles Harvey Beard and his mother, Mary Alice Collins Beard. He is survived by his wife Patricia Ann Beard, sons, Joe Harvey Beard Jr (Kara Headrick Beard, wife) and Steven Scott Beard, his daughter, Amy Suzanne Beard Willard (Robert Willard, husband), grand daughters, Kaitlin Nicole Beard and Sara Isabel Beard.

Born on February 28, 1947, Joe was 76 at the time of his passing. He was a wonderful husband for 57 years, a loving father for 55 years and a proud grandfather for 23 years.

He was a South Florida native and grew up in the city of Wilton Manors, which in the fifties was a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

His parents, Charlie and Mary Beard started him with piano lessons at a very young age. His mothers dream was for him to be able to play in church. Little did she know the bone deep, natural talent this little boy had.

As he continued to excel in music under the teaching and guidance of Gerald and Mildred Snyder, not only could he play hymns but also Bach, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and his favorite, Gershwin. He also loved rock and roll, jazz and every other style of music. He played them all and he played them well. He became the pianist at Evangel Church and fulfilled his mother’s dream for him and much more. This was a Sunday date he kept all his life. Evangel Church was his home church from the day he was born until the day he passed. He also became the pianist for the choruses at Fort Lauderdale High School from 1963 until 1965 when he graduated.

As a young teen he met his wife, Patricia Ann Parker, in this same church, Evangel, when she visited with a friend one Sunday. The friend insisted Ann had to meet this most talented boy she knew at her church, Joe Beard. Just barely 14 and 15 years old, they fell in love at first sight and the rest is history. Thank you Sandi.

Ann’s home church was a neighboring church, Immanuel Baptist Church. Joe and Ann were married on June 5, 1966 in Immanuel Baptist Church by the pastors of both churches, Jack Starbuck and J. Burch Cooper and remained happily married until Joe’s passing.

Joe attended Wilton Manors Elementary School and then on to Everglades Junior High Scool and Fort Lauderdale High School where he was voted “Most Talented” by his classmates. He graduated from “Lauderdale” in 1965. During these early teen years in Jr High and High school he formed his own bands and played regularly in many popular venues like The War Memorial Dances in Ft Lauderdale along side the radio station reps and DJ’s. They also played in the Dade and Miami areas. They were known as “The Regents” and “Joe Banana and the Bunch” at Backdoor-A-Go-Go. His band became the “go to” back-up band for many national acts that toured through South Florida.

He then continued on to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida and graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music, majoring in Piano. During college he was privileged to go on a USO tour in Europe. This was when the Berlin Wall was still in place. It was cold, fun and an eye opener into that part of the world without freedoms. Upon graduation he spent a year teaching music at Broadview Elementary School. Also, never without a band, he formed “The Joe Beard Trio”. His group performed in various clubs throughout the 1970s, public and private. Among his musical residencies were stints at The Jockey Club in Miami, The Tennis Club, The Tower Club and Le Club International in Fort Lauderdale. Along the way he met many celebrities, made many high profile contacts and turned down several offers to move out to California or to New York to advance his career. He opted to stay home, always prioritizing family.

Tiring of working nights, in 1977 he was inspired to start a recording studio. He knew many artists who couldn’t afford a bigger studio’s recording rates and set out to help the local scene using all of his musical talents from writing and arranging to playing and recording, placing musicians and singers together when needed.

He recorded, produced and performed on many albums for local artists, starting in and working out of a spare room at his home in Wilton Manors. In 1980, with the help of many friends, he completed his dream, building his studio next door. He made a lot of music in there and made the world a happier place. He received a “Gold Record” for the original music he wrote, arranged and recorded for a children’s series on safety and stranger danger, “It’s Okay To Say NO”.

The 1990’s opened another door and saw him expand into another area of the music industry, Cassette and CD production, with the purchase of Audio Duplicating Service. It has been a family affair from the start. Family being everything to him, he enjoyed every minute of it, working alongside his wife and kids for three decades.

Along the way he became a grandfather. Being a grandpa was arguably his favorite role. He loved his little girls, Katie and Sara and being a perfect grandpa, was willing to wear many hats to their delight and heart’s desire.

Whether it was planting a garden, being a monster that had to be captured and arrested or a guinea pig to two little make-up artists or hairstylists, he was more than happy to play the part and he counted it a blessing. Watching them grow up and become beautiful, responsible, and lovely young women was a joy!

Being the loving husband, father, grandfather that he was, we all miss him immensely and look forward to that day when we will see him again and all be together with our Lord “In the Sweet By and By”.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Joe Harvey Beard Sr., please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Memorial Service

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Starts at 2:00 pm (Eastern time)

Immanuel Baptist Church

1039 NE 3rd Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

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