Ruth Hilburn Beard age 93 of Madill, Oklahoma passed away at 12:50 pm Saturday, May 5, 2007 at Texoma Medical Center in Denison, Texas. Ruth's parents, John Henry Hilburn and Maudine Adella Richardson Hilburn were natives of Alabama and early pioneers in northern Texas and southern Oklahoma. Ruth was born in Walters, Oklahoma on March 24, 1914. At the age of five, Ruth moved with her family to Madill where she lived for the remainder of her life. Ruth graduated from Madill High School in 1931. She had planned to attend the MHS Alumni Banquet this year, joking that she must surely be the oldest living graduate. She attended Southeastern State Teachers College in Durant, Oklahoma for two years. The hardships of the Depression ended her dreams of becoming a business teacher. Like many others of her generation she returned home to help her family weather financial adversity. She worked as bookkeeper and sales clerk for J.C. Penney in Madill. Meeting a woman who is an executive with the corporate office of J.C. Penny in Dallas recently, Ruth told her story of working for $40 a month when she was an employee of the company. She later worked for Madill National Bank and Butler Insurance. Ruth married her high school and college sweetheart, Ollie L. Beard, Jr., on July 20, 1937 in Sulphur, Oklahoma and he precedeed her in death on October 28, 1971. Ruth and O.L. shared a passionate devotion to family as well as a strong work ethic. One of Ruth's fondest memories was of helping O.L. prepare abstracts for the construction of Lake Texoma. Ruth's devotion to her late husband placed her in feedlots and hot summer kitchens where she canned and preserved the bounty of her husband's large vegetable gardens. After Mr. Beard suffered a stroke in 1969, Ruth served as constant companion and caregiver until his death on October 28, 1971. Ruth loved doing things for her family and friends. In her later years she enjoyed using her creative skills to make afghans for gifts. She said she lost count at 40 or 50. She enjoyed playing Skip-Bo with her grandchildren and friends as well as working in her yard. She was a member of the Church of Christ. Ruth enjoyed working in the yard, playing skip-bo and loved her dog Benji. She is survived by: Son: Ollie Logan Beard III & wife Mary Lou, Madill, Oklahoma Daughter: Ann Douglas & husband Melvin, Dallas, Texas 4 Grandchildren: Rachel Lacy Beard Anderson & husband Brad, Moore, Oklahoma Lee Douglas, Dallas, Texas Roby Douglas, Dallas, Texas Ollie Logan Beard IV, Madill, Oklahoma 2 Great Grandchildren: Gage Michael Anderson, Moore, Oklahoma Blake Thomas Anderson, Moore, Oklahoma