Ruthie Mae Beard, 80, went home to be with the Lord Jan. 26, 2015, at River Region Medical Center. 

A native of Soso, she was a resident of Vicksburg for over 64 years. For the past 43 years, she had been known affectionately as the Avon lady. She was an active member of Oakland Baptist Church.

She is preceded in death by her parents, William Washington Moseley and Birdie Mae Rayner Moseley and brother, George Moseley.

She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Jim Beard Sr. of Vicksburg; sons, Jim Beard Jr. (Linda) of Edwards, David Beard (Sherry) of Vicksburg and Timothy Beard (Patti) of Vicksburg; daughters, Carrie Williams of Vicksburg, Patsy Higginbotham (Billy) of Vicksburg, Brenda Weeks (Michael) of Olive Branch and Myra Beard of Vicksburg; brother, William Moseley (Thellas) of Flowood; sisters-in-laws, Faye Moseley of Laurel and Bonnie Jean Beard of Morton; 11 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015, at Oakland Baptist Church with Dr. Michael Weeks, the Rev. Billy Higginbotham and the Rev. Dwight Sibley officiating. Interment will follow at Greenlawn Gardens Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Glenwood Funeral Home, and Thursday from 1 p.m. until the hour of the service at the church.

Pallbearers will be Ramey Williams, Cayce Lowery, Aaron Beard, Austin Weeks, Philip Stewart, Orbie Coston, David Walters, Greg Moseley, and James Beard.  Honorary pallbearers will be T.D. Easterling, Collins Rhinehart, Mark Green, Lamar Roberts, Lewis Thornton, Dwight Woodward, Robert Sibley, Sr., and Albert Smith.

Memorials may be made to the Oakland Baptist Church Building Fund at 2959 Oak Ridge Rd. Vicksburg, MS 39183 and the Alzheimer’s Association at 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601.