Beard, George – d. 1961

ALEXANDER, BEARD, CONN, KINNEY

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 7/13/2021 at 21:35:33

Services For George Beard Here Today
The death of George Beard, 57, a former Colfax resident, was being investigated by State and Federal agents the first of the week, after his body had been recovered from the Mississippi river.
It was first thought Mr. Beard had drowned until a coroner’s physician discovered a bullet wound in the head during an examination. Officials said Beard’s overturned boat was found Sunday in the river near Blanding, about 10 miles south of Galena, Ill. His body was found floating in the river Monday near Blanding which is about 70 miles north of East Moline, the victim’s home.
Authorities stated Mr. Beard may have been shot accidently by youths target practicing along the river, and that he had been seen in East Moline Friday but not since that time.
Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jessie Beard of Colfax, five brothers Francis of Des Moines, Robert of Mingo, Merle of California and Leo and Walter of Colfax. Two sisters, Mrs. Howard (Dorothy) Alexander of Colfax and Mrs. Andy (Lorena) Conn of Mingo, also survive. Mr. Beard was not married at the time of his death, but was to have been married to Mrs. Mamie Kinney of Silvis, Ill., in the future.
Funeral services will be held at 9 a.m. today (Thursday) at East Moline and burial will be in the Colfax Cemetery, where military rites will be under the supervision of the Jones-Willis Post American Legion of this city.
Source: Colfax Tribune; Thursday, July 6, 1961