Julia Anne Beard, born in Lansdowne, PA, June 20th, 1967, died at home in the early morning Friday, May 4th, 2018. Preceded by her father, George “Cliffy” Beard, she is survived by her daughter Arianna Mears, mother Suzanne Smith, stepfather Stephen Smith, sister Jacqueline Beard-Edwards, brother Jonathan Beard, and two stepbrothers, Stephen and John Smith.
Those who really knew Julia would tell you she was a compassionate and loyal person. She lived an incredibly faithful life, to her family and to her God. Spirituality was always a defining feature in Julia’s life. She could often be found with several books on the coffee table related to faith. Her home always smelled of incense and potpourri, usually sitting on one of the altars in her home. She was inspired by the conservation of energy, the power of healing, and the cosmic energy of the universe.
Second only to her faith, family was an incredibly important part of her life. Her love for her mother, Suzanne, was unparalleled. Only the act of becoming a mother herself could come close to the bond Julia shared with Suzanne. Her daughter was born on July 7th, 1989 and was a life-altering event for Julia. She and her daughter could often be found at flea markets, antique stores, and yard sales, always scouring the best deals on trunks, boots, and blue jeans. Julia also loved antiques and furnished her home with as many as she could find that were deemed worthy.
In her youth Julia was a star athlete skilled at swimming, track, lacrosse, and field hockey. It is fitting her strongest sport was the butterfly stroke, as she was revered as a social butterfly. Her beauty radiated from inside and out: everyone who met her loved her. She was also incredibly intelligent, her passion lying in math. Julie’s career was spent as an accountant; analyzing numbers would calm her in the way only a mathematician could understand.
Many knew Julia only through the lens of addiction, having battled her demons for many years. At the time of her death she was a recovered addict with over a year of sobriety under her belt. She attributed this sobriety to the ideals of AA, the support of her social work team, and the support of her family. As Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” And Julia never gave up on life. She was always a strong advocate for seeking help and giving back to those who helped her.
Her free time was spent at the beach, in her garden, or with animals in need. Most of her life she had a rescued dog, who offered her companionship and loyalty. She loved spending summer nights at the Ocean City boardwalk watching thunderstorms on the beach while eating a creamsicle Kohr’s soft serve. Alternatively she could be found on the back of a Harley, her hair streaming behind her through the wind. She was a vibrant soul, passionate about music and going to see live shows. Julia always knew how to show you a good time; filling the air with laughter and joy.
As a tribute to Julie’s compassionate nature and to honor her daughter’s work in education, in lieu of flowers, her family is asking that donations be made to the Michael Hardy Edwards Scholarship Fund at the College of William and Mary. checks should be mailed to: Office of University Advancement Gift Accounting
P.O. Box 1693
Williamsburg, VA 23187-1693. The subject line should read "Michael Hardy Edwards Fund"
To make donations online, please go to: https://giving.wm.edu/give-now/ , select "I want to support" in the search tab and enter MHE Fund: 2618.
For those unable to make monetary donations we ask that you consider making a blood donation to save the lives of those in need.
Services will be held 11 AM Thursday, May 10, 2018 at Holy Name of Jesus Church, 17 Earlington Ave., Mullica Hill, NJ 08062.
