Otis Eugene “Gene” Beard, 87, of Nesbit, MS, passed away on Thursday, April 2, 2015 at North Delta Hospice House in Southaven, MS.

He was born on Febrary 5, 1928, in Oxford, MS, to the Late Otis Lee Beard and Sarah Beatrice Houston Beard. He graduated from Sardis High School and attended Northwest Mississippi Junior College and Mississippi State University. He served his country in the United States Army as a Sergeant First Class in the Chemical Corps from September, 1950 through September, 1952. He returned to work at his lifelong job as a research scientist at E.I. DuPont DeNemours & Company in Memphis, TN, for thirty-three years until his retirement in 1986.

Mr. Beard is survived by his companion, Shirley D. Moore of Nesbit, MS; four nieces, Sara Jane Carter Holloway (Bill) of Batesville, MS, Suzanne Carter Boyle (Mike) of Como, MS, Kathi Beard Pratt (Ricky) of Memphis, TN, Sherry Beard Moberly (Brad) of Hernando, MS; one nephew, Brett Beard (Leanne) of Hernando, MS and numerous great and great-great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Sara Lee Beard Carter and Betty Jane Beard Inlow; his brother, Robert Houston Beard; his nephew, Keith Eugene Beard; and niece, Nancy Carol Carter.