Earl D. "Dean" Beard went home to the Lord at Rapid City Regional Hospital in Rapid City on October 12, 2012. Dean was born at home near Frankfort, South Dakota on June 9, 1928. The youngest of five brothers, Dean lived in Spink County for his first 49 years. After marrying Geraldine "Jerry" Hammond in 1951, he entered the U.S. Army, serving in Texas and Germany before being honorably discharged and returning to Redfield. Dean and his family moved to Oregon in 1977 where they lived until 1984. During their time in the Pacific Northwest they made numerous trips to Reno and Lake Tahoe, northern California, Seattle, and British Columbia, Canada. Dean and his family returned to South Dakota in 1984, where they settled in the beautiful Black Hills. In 1993, Dean retired after many years as the groundskeeper at the Elks Club golf course in Rapid City. He spent much of his retirement time keeping up his home, maintaining a beautiful lawn and flower beds. After Jerry retried, they enjoyed considerable amounts of quiet time, enjoying the beauty of western South Dakota -- and the occasional trip to Deadwood! Dean was preceded in death by his parents John Beard and Anna (Torkelson) Beard of Redfield, South Dakota, and his brothers Alvin of Bremerton, Washington and Leonard of Springfield, Oregon. He is survived by his son Bradee and daughter-in-law Cari of Rapid City, his brothers Harvey and Kermit of Redfield, and many nieces and nephews including all the nieces and nephews of the extended Hanson family.