Derrick Michael Beard passed away tragically Friday, Sept. 11, 2009. He was 22.

A Warren County native, Derrick was a 2005 honor graduate of Warren Central High School where he was a member of the baseball team, National Honor Society, Beta Club and was a sweetheart for Vicksburg Cotillion Club and Sub-Debs. He was currently a senior biology major at Mississippi State University.

Derrick was an avid outdoorsman; his passion was hunting and fishing. Derrick was a member of Highland Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Ralph Doyle.

Survivors include his parents, Mike and Barbara “Bobbie” Beard; a sister, Candis Beard of Vicksburg; paternal grandparents, Charlie “Mack” and Melba Beard of Cuthbert, Ga., and Ruth and Mickey Harris of Waynesboro; maternal grandmother, Shirley Doyle of Vicksburg; uncles and aunts, James C. “Bo” and Delaine Beard of Clara, Wayne and Marcia Doyle of Demopolis, Ala., Steve and Beth Doyle of Lawrenceville, Ga., Kathy and Chester Carlisle of Waxahachie, Texas, Susan and Mike Pieklik of Kennesaw, Ga., and John Doyle of Arab, Ala.; and many first and second cousins.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Glenwood Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Green Acres Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 5 until 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the Vicksburg Animal Shelter or to Catch a Dream in his memory at catchadream.org or 662-325-8149.