LAFAYETTE — Services for Maurice Leslie Beard, 79, of Pearl, who died Monday, July 28, 2014, in Pearl, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Delhomme Funeral Home with the Rev. Jonathan Moore, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Morgan City, officiating.

Burial will follow in Fountain Memorial Gardens Cemetery under the direction of Delhomme Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and from 8 a.m. until service time Saturday, both at the funeral home.

Mr. Beard was the son of Lawrence Leslie Beard and Alice Evelyn Beard.

He proudly served his country as a member of U.S. Army.

He lived in different cities with family in Wyoming and Utah during the “Oil Boom,” making many friends along the way. After more than 33 years of service, he retired from Chevron in the Aradiana area.

He attended church regularly at East Bayou Baptist Church in Lafayette and after recently moving to Pearl, became a member of the Park Place Baptist Church.

He enjoyed bluegrass music and playing the guitar, along with many other instruments. He volunteered with the Pediatric Brain Tumor Group and was a former secretary of South Louisiana Bluegrass Association.

He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and all who knew and loved him.

Mr. Beard was preceded in death by his loving wife of 43 years, Dora Ann Douglas Beard; his parents; and one sister Jean Davis.

Survivors include his beloved wife, Sue Beard; two daughters, Sylvia Beard Roy and husband, Danny Roy, of Lafayette, and Stephanie Ware and fiancé, Mike Renken, of Pine Bluff, Ark.; two step-sons, Tim Cain and wife, Leslie, of Brandon, and Wesley Chaney and wife, Rebecca, of Bolton; one step-daughter, Wendy Reed and husband, Raymond, of Brandon; five grandchildren, Destri, Evan, Sadie, Isabel and Isaac; eight step-grandchildren, Brandy, Christ, Audrey, Brooke, Lexie, Brea, Harper and Wren; and two step-grandchildren, Summer and Lilly.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Beard’s name to Magnolia State Bluegrass Association, Attention, Secretary, Cheryl Herring, 9608 Briar Crest Lane, Vancleave, MS 39565-8678.

Online condolences may be made to delhommefuneralhome.com.