Jennette Beard

Jennette Irene (Erickson)of Fargo died January 23, 2010 at MeritCare Palliative Care in Fargo. The second eldest of 15 children, she was born on September 7, 1926 to Hans and Ina Erickson in rural Minnesota near Park Rapids. She graduated from Barnesville High School in 1944 and was employed by the Powers Hotel in Fargo for a short time afterward. During WWII, she moved to Washington D.C. to work for the US Navy where she met the love of her life, Thomas Beard. They wed in 1949 and were married for over 54 years until his death in 2003. They made their home in Washington D.C. until after the birth of their first child, Karen Irene, in 1955, when they relocated back to Fargo to raise their family. They had two more daughters, Teresa Ellen (1960) and Andrea Sue (1963). Jennette resided in Fargo until her death. Jeanette was a member of Olivet Lutheran Church and enjoyed summers at the family lake home on Middle Cormorant Lake where she retired with her husband in 1989. Family was always most important to her, but she especially treasured being part of her grandchildren’s lives. Her indomitable spirit, quiet strength, and unfailing sense of humor will live on in her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her daughters, Karen (Dean Gades) Beard, Teresa Haider, and Andrea (Bartley) Conrath; grandchildren, Thomas Monson, Madelynn Haider, Griffin, Torrin, and Annika Conrath; eleven brothers and sisters, Alice Thompson, Phyllis (Robert) Meissner, Arlene Thornton, Rodney (Marti) Erickson, Terrence (Carol) Erickson, Bernard (Sharon) Erickson, Mickal (Sheila) Erickson, Ina (Eugene) Olson, Sandra Bekkerus, Ellen (Glenn) Coleman, Landis (Barbara) Erickson; sisters-in-law, Theresa Erickson and Sister Mary (Patsy) Beard; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Thomas; parents, Hans and Ina; and brothers Lyle, Leonard and Richard Erickson. Visitation will be at Boulger Funeral Home on January 26, 2010 from 5-7 PM with a prayer service at 7 PM. The funeral will be at Olivet Lutheran Church on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 1 PM with a visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. A reception will follow at the church with burial after at Moorhead Memorial Gardens, Moorhead, MN. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Boulger Funeral Home, Fargo