was a B-17 co-pilot during WWII, assigned to 96th BG 339th BS (evadee on 4 march 1944, flying aboard 42-30412 "Mischief-Maker II") he is first row, second from left (from americanairmuseum website)

C D Beard, Aviation Student Class 43-H, Waco Army Air Field Texas - WW II

Charles D. Beard Jr. has been called the father of the privatization of home health care in Alabama. Founder of AlaCare Home Health Hospice in Alabama.

BEARD, CHARLES D., JR. (Major, Ret. USAF), age 79, of Hoover, passed away on Wednesday, November 28, 2001. He was a long-time member of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church. He graduated from West End High School and enlisted in the Army-Air Corp. During World War II, he served in the Eighth Air Force and co-piloted a B-17 until his plane was shot down returning from a mission over Berlin. He avoided capture and fought with the Belgian resistance until he was able to cross enemy lines after D-Day. Following the War, he returned home and attended the University of Alabama. He returned to military service during the Korean Conflict to fly air-sea rescue missions. Over his distinguished military carrier, he served as the Squadron Commander of several jet fighter wings in the Strategic Air Command as well as Air Safety and liaison to the Civil Air Patrol. He participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis. He retired in 1964 and returned home to Birmingham. He was a successful operator of an Oil and Gas Exploration company with properties in New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Locally, he founded Alacare Home Health and Hospice in 1970 and served as its Chairman and President until his death. Alacare has been recognized as one of Birmingham's Top 100 privately held businesses. In 1974, he founded Med-A-Par. In 1988, he founded South Hall Self-Storage.

He was active in Dawson's Dawsey Cherry Sunday School Class and was its perennial Social Chairman. He was active in many civic endeavors and was recognized by the Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce as its 2000 Business Person of the Year for his commitment to business development and community service, He was most proud of his role in establishing the Alabama Association of Home Health Agencies in 1978 and Alabama Chapter of the Eight Air Force Historical Society. He served as President of the Alabama Chapter and also served on the Eight Air Force Historical Society's National Board of Directors.

Survivors include his loving wife of 54 years, Mary Sue Graham Beard of Birmingham; sons, Charles D. Beard, III, John G. Beard and William Gary Beard; daughters, Mrs. Scott (Peggy) Williams and Mrs. David (Susan) Brouillette; daughters-in-law, Mrs. John G. (Louise Hall) Beard and Mrs. Gary (Kelli Campbell) Beard; and ten grandchildren, John Graham Beard, Jr., Lanford R. Beard, Charles (Chase) Beard, Leah Beard, Gavin Beard, Ann Williams, Scott Milton Williams, Evan Williams, Charlotte Brouillette, Kathryn Brouillette; and brother, Robert Lee (Murlee) Beard; sister, Virginia Chancy; and sisters-in-law, Doris Jean Graham and Johnnie G. Kessler.

Family will receive friends on Friday, November 30, 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Ridout's Valley Chapel, 1802 Oxmoor Road in Homewood. The family request memorials be made to either Alabama Home Health Care, 4752 U. S. 280 East, Birmingham, AL 35242 and The Mighty Eighth Air Force - Charles Beard Garden, P. O. Box 1992, Savannah, GA 31402.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 1, at 11:00 a.m. at Dawson Memorial Baptist, 1114 Oxmoor Road, Homewood with burial to follow at Elmwood Cemetery.

Revs. Gary Fenton and Neal Schooley will officiate. Ridout's Valley Chapel directing.
(Birmingham News, November 30, 2001).

His son John Graham Beard is the husband of Louise Hall Beard of Birmingham, a Tony Award-winning producer of Broadway theater in New York.

Charles D. Beard, Jr., was the founder of Alacare Home Health & Hospice, Alabama's oldest and largest family-owned home healthcare agency, and also as the co-founder of the Hospice & Home Health Fund of Alabama (HHHFA).