Graveside service for SSG (Retired) Richard "Sarge" Beard, 80, Lawton, will be 11:00 AM Thursday, December 13, 2012 at the Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin. Sergeant Beard died Wednesday December 5, 2012 at the Lawton/Fort Sill Veteran's Center.. Burial will be in the Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, Oklahoma under the direction of the Becker Funeral Home & Cremation Service. "Sarge" was born June 13, 1932 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia to David Lee and Nora Frances (Glover) Beard. He served in the Army from 1949 through 1970. He earned the Good Conduct Medal (5th Award), Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Commendation Medal, and 4 Overseas Bars. After his retirement he worked for Southwest Moving and Storage for twenty years, while earning a degree in business at Cameron University. He was a very giving man who didn't want anyone to go hungry.