John Perry Beard

John Perry Beard, 71, passed away peacefully on August 28, 2025. Born to parents

John Wesley and Betty Jean Beard on October 29, 1953, Perry was a lifelong resident

and proud supporter of the close-knit communities of Screven, Jenkins, and Bulloch

Counties, where he was well loved by his family and community members. Having

served many years as the beloved church Santa for Buck Creek UMC, Perry will be

warmly remembered by an ever-growing family of grandchildren, great-grandchildren,

and countless other youngsters, whose lives were made richer by the warmth and

friendliness of the fun-loving country grandpa.

Perry was a 1971 graduate of Screven County High School, and furthered his education

by earning a Master of Technology degree from Georgia Southern University in 2001.

He was always eager to learn more, and earned numerous other certifications and

professional accolades throughout his career as an electrician, engineer, and educator.

A master electrician and veritable jack-of-all-trades, he was known for tinkering

endlessly, always working to make improvements to the homes, workspaces, and

gathering places of his family, friends, and community. His carpentry and engineering

skills stand as a testament to his active life, with a wide range of renovation and building

projects to be seen in every place where he lived and worked. A lifelong love of fishing

and building things kept Perry busy from well before daybreak until late into the evening

most days. With an easygoing smile and a lively sense of humor, he could also be

counted on for a chance to laugh and have fun in any situation, whether it was down at

the river or crawling through the attic to run cables for another project.

Perry’s enthusiasm for football was unmistakable. As a devoted fan of the Georgia

Southern Eagles and the Screven County Gamecocks, he could be found cheering for

his team and having a marvelous time with fellow fans in the stands and at tailgate

parties throughout the season, nearly every year of his life. No matter the outcome,

every game was a chance to commune and celebrate with those who shared his

affection for the local teams.

In addition to his parents, Perry is preceded in death by his first wife, Eva G.

Underwood, and their oldest daughter, Brandy Angel Beard, as well as his beloved wife

of 42 years, Caroline Hembel Beard, and stepdaughter Rebecca Candice Nordick.

Perry is survived by his brother, Mark Beard, and his daughter from his first marriage,

Misty Ann Beard. He is also survived by stepchildren Kelly Hiatt, Stephen Moore, and

Lydia M. Chipman.

A memorial will be held for John Perry Beard at the Buck Creek Community Center, with

visitation starting at 1:00 PM on Saturday, September 6, 2025. In lieu of flowers, the

family welcomes donations in John Perry Beard's memory to National Public Radio,

Georgia Public Broadcasting, Buck Creek United Methodist Church, Screven County

Athletic Booster Club, or the Georgia Southern University Foundation.