William Beard

William Virgil Beard, 88, of Teton Valley, passed away peacefully on January 26, 2020 at the Homestead in Rexburg. Virgil was born on May 3, 1931 to James Thomas and Rachel Ellen Woolstenhulme Beard in Haden, Teton County, Idaho. He lived his entire life in Teton Valley and had no desire to be anywhere else.

Virgil graduated from Teton High School in 1949. He married Dorlene Burgener on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1952 in Darby. They were blessed with four children.

Virgil was a man of few words. He was content in life to have his own ranch, a herd of cows, a good saddle horse, and a good cow dog. He continued to raise cattle until the age of 83. Virgil also worked at the Tetonia Experiment Station for 13 years.

Virgil was devoted to his family and loved when his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren came to visit and help him out on the ranch. He also enjoyed riding the mountains on his horse, hunting and fishing, training and working horse teams and oxen, going for a slow drive through the Valley, and teaching his sons and grandsons how to work.  He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Virgil is survived by his wife, Dorlene of Darby/Rexburg; daughter, Jenny (Gary) Smith of Idaho Falls; daughter, Becky (Jeff) Muench of Rexburg; son, Randy (Pamela) Beard of Rexburg; daughter-in-law, Sonia Beard of Rexburg; sister, Sherry (Gary) Zohner of Victor; 13 grandchildren; and 37 great-grandchildren. Virgil was preceded in death by a son (Kenneth); 4 brothers (George, Ervin, Orin, Donald) and 2 sisters (Edna Kyte, Carol Beard).

Services will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at 11 am at the Driggs Stake Center. A viewing will be held on Friday, January 31, 2020 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the Valley Mortuary in Driggs, and from 10 am to 10:45 am prior to the service. Burial will be in the Cache Clawson Cemetery in Tetonia. Virgil’s family would like to thank the staff at the Homestead in Rexburg for their care of Virgil over the last few months.

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