Loren Beard

February 11, 1952 - March 4, 2018

Service: Visitation services, with family in attendance, will be Friday, March 9th, 2018, from 1-6pm, at Anderson Funeral Home in Canton, SD.

    Loren Harvey Beard was born February 11, 1952 in Redfield, SD.  Loren was the second child to M. Harvey Beard and Aletha M. (Nelson) Beard. Loren died March 4, 2018 at Sanford Canton Inwood Medical Center due to complications from a brief battle with brain cancer.

                Loren graduated from Tulare High School in 1970. He attended South Dakota State University majoring in Parks and Recreation Management. He graduated in 1974.  Loren managed many SD state parks. He was especially proud to have been the first park manager at Snake Creek and Platte Creek Recreation Area in Platte, SD. He enjoyed working with his crews at Newton Hills State Park. He spent eight years at Newton Hills and he considered his crew to be family.  He worked with Maude and Mary Adams to create the Adam’s Nature Area. Loren retired from the State of SD in 1995. He then started a new career with the City of Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Department.  He managed many of Sioux Falls’ City Parks. He was the founder of the Lighting of the Falls at Falls Park. Loren retired from the City of Sioux Falls March 2016.

                Loren married his sister’s best friend, Suzanne Louise Zahn on May 11, 1974. They raised two daughters Alta Shaleen (Beard) Allen and Brodie Lee (Beard) Sorlie.

                Loren is survived by his daughters: Shaleen Allen of Alcester and Brodie (Jon) Sorlie of Hudson; his four grandchildren: Cheyenne Sorlie, Corbin Sorlie, Brinlee Allen and Declan Allen; his sister: Sandra (Jeff) Wagner of Redfield and his brother: Brian (Cindy) Beard of Aberdeen, sisters-in-law: Brigitta (Dale) Diede of Mission Hill and Jane (Cliff) Jensen of Lockport, NY; his nieces and nephews: Tami Johnson, Nick (Steph) Diede, Gentry (Tiffany) Jensen, Dru (Charlene) Jensen, Amber (Steve Spade) Wagner, Jamie (Kelly) Nannenga, Kayla (Ryan Fischer) Beard, Shzahni Jensen and many great nieces/nephews and great-great nieces/nephews.

                Loren and Suzanne did everything together, but Loren was known, by his family, to be a late arrival. He kept Suzanne waiting 32 days before he joined her in Heaven. Loren is also, preceded in death by his mother, father and grandparents.

                Loren was creative, gregarious, outgoing and friendly. Loren excelled at customer service which was paramount to his careers.  However, he could and would talk to anyone and always left a lasting impression on each person he met.  He loved his family. He enjoyed creating beautiful flower pots during the summer for his wife, decorating the outside of his house for Christmas. He never settled for ordinary when he could tweak and redesign anything to make it better such as taking tomato cages and turning them into beautifully lit Christmas trees. He enjoyed a good brandy and cigarette at the end of the day while listening to the Beetles, Eric Clapton, and James Taylor on his handcrafted stereo in his garage.

                When his first grandchild was born, he became Gumpa and he wore his name like a badge of honor. Gumpa loved taking his grandkids to movies, even the princess movies! He was a huge Disney fan and while he was able to take his family to Disneyland, he would have love to have taken his grandchildren.

                Loren was a food enthusiast!  He loved creating dishes and he would expand on them and make them impossibly better. Ribs and Rice, Ratatouille, Biscuits and Gravy, and Mac and Cheese were some of his grandkids favorites and he made them as often as he possible.

Loren and Suzanne shared their lives with a plethora of pets and shed many tears for everyone that crossed the Rainbow Bridge. He leaves behind his dogs, Abby and Boomer and his cats, Hannah and Magee. Abby was able to visit him in the hospital, which allowed them both to find peace.

Pallbearers: Dale Diede, Jeff Wagner, Brian Beard, Cliff Jensen, Jon Sorlie, Nick Diede, Gentry Jensen, Dru Jensen, Corbin Sorlie, and Declan Allen.

                Honorary Pallbearers: His co-workers from the State of South Dakota and the City of Sioux Falls.

Visitation services, with family in attendance, will be March 9th, 2018, from 1-6pm, at Anderson Funeral Home in Canton, SD.

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14 messages have been left

  1. Sandra Wagner on March 5, 2018 said:

    Dear Brother Loren ,
    You will be sorely missed by your Family Brian Beard , Cindy, Jamie, Kayla and their families.
    Your “Favorite Sister” Sandy and her Family Jeff Wagner and their Daughter Amber and her Family Steve and Avery Jean.
    Please say hello to our Loved Ones when they greet them in Heaven. Until we meet again. Go with God

  2. Jackie Hyronemus on March 5, 2018 said:

    Rest in peace dear soul. It was an honor to get to know you and be part of your care team. Gone too soon but never forgotten. I will miss our talks about music. Especially the Clapton ones. You are now with your beloved in the beautiful garden of heaven. We miss you dearly. We all love you Loren! Thank you for saving me tonight. I fish tailed pretty bad on my way home and when I was finally gaining some control Eric Clapton came on the radio and I looked up and thanked you. Sleep easy my friend.

  3. Jackie Hyronemus on March 5, 2018 said:

    Many sympathies from my family to.yours

  4. Danelle Ewoldt on March 6, 2018 said:

    I am so sorry for your loss. May God wtap his loving arms around you and hold you close.

  5. Jerome Miller on March 6, 2018 said:

    My deepest condolences to Loren’s family. I worked with Loren often during the last 12 years of my career. He was fun to work with, yet he knew when it was time for business. He could always be counted on and was quick with a story and a smile! He will be missed.

  6. Jeanie on March 6, 2018 said:

    Hi. I worked with Loren. He was a special person. You have my sympathy. He will be missed by many. I loved his sense of humor. You would be amazed at everything he could remember from way back when. He would have been a good trivia partner. Cherish those memories.

  7. Mark Steck on March 7, 2018 said:

    You went too soon Loren. I enjoyed your great mind. When computers came along we both had grey hair already. You excelled. You could tell me anywhere in Sioux Falls where to pick up a piece of special bolt, clamp, hose etc. I’d always be impressed and partially amused at how you knew these things. Best off you raised two daughters, and than were blessed with grandchildren. You weathered the storm of the last few years. Very impressive.

    Mark

  8. Dave Fischer on March 7, 2018 said:

    I had the distinct pleasure of working with Loren in both the State Park System and the Sioux Falls Park System. Loren was a true professional dedicated to providing opportunities for others to recreate and spend quality time with friends and family. I am honored to have worked with Loren and fortunate to have been able to also call him my friend. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. God bless you all.

  9. Jane on March 8, 2018 said:

    For once I am at a loss for words. My beautiful sister was first, and not having time to mourn her loss, my fantastic brother (in law) followed her. Our family’s loss is unfathomable. We are ZahnStrong, and will survive this, but not yet, not yet.

  10. Jerry Gavin on March 8, 2018 said:

    I grew up in Redfield and was nyabors to the Beards. My family was good friend of Loren parents and my sister was a good friend of Loren sister Sandy. Loren first seasonal job was at Fisher Grove State Park, were I was the Park Mgr. Loren went on to get his degree in Park Manegment and was a very good manager. Loren was a great asset to the park systoms both State and City. To his family my deepest sympathy, Loren will be missed

  11. Lauretta Borresch on March 8, 2018 said:

    Sandy & Brian & family. So So sorry for your loss of both Loren & wife also Dad Harvey. God be with you & God bless you & comfort you. So happy to see you, Sandy in Leo’s a while back. Brought back many old memories.

  12. Janet Short on March 9, 2018 said:

    Brodie
    So very sorry you and all the family had to travel down the same road and in such a short amount of time.
    It’s heartbreaking to think about what the family is going through, but at the same time I think it’s a sign of how strong their love and bond for each other really was. They just needed to be together watching over all of you. My sympathies to all the family.

  13. Mecke on March 9, 2018 said:

    @Loren. Myślę dokładnie to samo. Ale nie napisałabym tego tak jak ty. Pomimo dyslekcji masz szeroki zasób słownictwa i pięknie się wyrażasz odpowiednio dobierając słowa. Mnie właśnie tego brakuje ;D Niestety (raczej stety) to nie Verasquie, a moderatorzy wybierają quizy i opowiadania na główną. Bardzo ich lubię ponieważ, nie zawsze zwracają uwagę na ilość serduszek i komentarzy tylko sami oceniają quiz, co pozwala wybić się osobom które mają mniej obserwatorów. Co prawda ja nie mam jeszcze żadnego quizu na głównej, ale jakoś się staram i jest coraz lepiej. Zobaczysz, jeszcze przegonisz Verasquie 3

  14. Mary S. Anderson Berg on March 10, 2018 said:

    Sandy, Brian and families…I am so sorry for your loss. I cannot come close to imagining the amount of grief you’ve have recently been through. My heart aches for you both. My thoughts are with you at this difficult time.