Patricia “Pat” Marie Beard

We deeply mourn the loss of Patricia “Pat” Beard, a beloved mother, grandmother, and retired elementary school teacher, who dedicated her life to shaping the minds and hearts of children in Washington County, Maryland for more than forty years. Pat died on March 30, 2025 at her home in Hagerstown following a long illness. At 90 years old, she led a life well lived—one of purpose and service to others, centered around faith and family. Her calling was to teach, which she fulfilled with a passion for learning and a gift for nurturing.

Born on September 21, 1934, to Mildred Keech and Albert A. Beck, owners of Beck’s Tavern in Hagerstown, Pat and her two older sisters grew up working in the popular restaurant on Jonathan Street. Following her father’s untimely death when she was just 9 years old, Pat and her sisters continued helping their mother run the restaurant over the next few decades.

After graduating from Towson State Teacher’s College, Pat began her long teaching career at East Antietam Street School. Over the years she went on to teach at numerous schools in Washington County, until retiring from Funkstown Elementary in 1997.

On April 11, 1955 she married Rodney Beard of Hagerstown, and they eventually had three children—two daughters and a son. Motherhood, as it turned out, was as much of a calling for Pat as teaching. It was evident in all Pat did that family was most important to her, and she parented with immeasurable love and joy and giving, always putting the needs of her children over her own.

After retirement, Pat continued to be of service to others by volunteering at the Washington County Food Pantry and at the Discovery Station. In 2011, she was awarded the prestigious People’s Choice Award for her volunteer efforts by the Community Foundation of Washington County.

Pat enjoyed bowling, tennis, golf, and even line dancing. But she especially loved baseball. A devoted Baltimore Orioles fan, you could find Pat in her blue recliner on any given afternoon yelling at the TV when the Orioles were playing (and often losing). She traveled, played cards, rode in a hot air balloon, and swam with dolphins. But she was happiest when she was with her family.

It’s impossible to encapsulate 90 years of a well-lived life in just a few words, sentences, paragraphs. Even more impossible to articulate how much this woman, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, wife, teacher, friend meant to her family and those lives she touched.

Yes, Pat had a life well lived, but she had so much more than that. Her life, her being, every part of her was well loved.

Pat is preceded in death by her husband Rodney. She is survived by her two sisters, Mildred Heinbaugh and Mary Ann Mundey; her children, Heidi Potterfield, Troy Beard, and Shawn Stout; sons-in-law, John Potterfield and Andy Stout; grandchildren, Sam, Anna, Lily, Nate, Olivia, Ella, and Opal; many granddogs, whose names she sometimes forgot; and thousands of former students, whose lives she touched in countless ways and whose names she somehow always remembered.

Pat’s family would like to thank Hospice of Washington County for the incredible care and support provided over the last few months, as well as her personal caregivers, Bonnie Socks, Sandy Milia, Hazel Farris, and Lisa Saunders for their assistance, care, patience, and companionship.

A viewing will take place on Wednesday, April 2, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., and a celebration of Pat’s life will be held on Thursday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m. at Rest Haven Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Washington County Food Pantry, and Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry.