Funeral services for Charles Bearden will be held at 1:00 P.M., Saturday, July 13, 2024, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in West Monroe. Officiate will be Dr. Woods Watson. Interment will follow at Mulhearn Memorial Park, under the care and direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes, West Monroe. Visitation will be prior to service from Noon until timeContinue Reading
Funeral services for Charles Bearden will be held at 1:00 P.M., Saturday, July 13, 2024, at Kilpatrick Funeral Home in West Monroe. Officiate will be Dr. Woods Watson. Interment will follow at Mulhearn Memorial Park, under the care and direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes, West Monroe. Visitation will be prior to service from Noon until time of service.
Charles Douglas “Chucky” Bearden passed away on July 10, 2024, at St. Francis Hospital surrounded by his son Stuart, his daughter Sharron, and his close friend and caregiver Chris Foster who was kind enough to assist him in his final months. Charles was born on January 26, 1938, in Monroe, Louisiana. He was preceded in death by the love of his life of 39 years Jamie Russell Bearden; mother, Edna Lawrence Bearden; father, William Douglas Bearden; sisters, Catherine Gail Bearden, Janice Bearden; and his godparents, Aunt Mattie Bearden Ulrich and Uncle Harry Ulrich.
Charles was a graduate of Neville High School and later graduated from the University of Louisiana with a degree in accounting. Charles served as Secretary of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity while at ULM. He immediately went into the Army Air Defense Missile Branch and served in Key West Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis, retiring as a Captain. Charles served as Chairman of the Cheniere Lake Commission for several years. Following his military service, he started his career at Olin Craft where he worked for 30 years until his retirement as Director of Accounting for Riverwood. Charles was a member of the First Baptist Church of Monroe during his Youth and in the First Baptist Church of West Monroe later in life where he was active in his Life Group which he considered a second family. Charles love to travel. Except for Asia, he visited almost every country in the world. Brazil was by far his favorite having visited there 13 times and participated in their Mardi Gras Carnival, even marching with one of the largest Carnival Krewes in Rio de Janeiro. The highlight of his travels was a 14-day cruise from London through the Mediterranean Sea on the Queen Mary II ending at the Cannes Film Festival. Through his friend Dr. Arnie Klein, Charles met many famous actors and singers including Suzanne Somers, Barry Manilow, Penny Marshall, and many others. When Charles was not traveling, he loved to host holiday and birthday dinner parties, especially his annual Christmas brunch. Christmas was his favorite time of year, and he spent weeks decorating his home with the many decorations he had collected from around the world. In Charles’ later years when he had a white beard, he looked like Santa Claus and children in Brazil would call him Papa Noel.
Charles is survived by his daughter Sharron Zirkle; son, Stuart Bearden; grandchildren, Katie Zirkle, Jordan Zirkle, Kelsey Bearden, and Colin Bearden; great-grandchildren, Kodi Zirkle, Mallie Bearden, Cammie Bearden, Brynlie Bearden, Reagan Bearden, Taylor Bourque, Elaina Bearden, Amelie Jirkle, and Oliver Bearden; niece, Sonja Robbins; nephew, William Gibson; and special friend and caregiver Darren Chris Foster.
Memorials may be made to the Leukaemia Foundation in memory of Charles Bearden.
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