Susan Almond Beard

Susan passed away peacefully at age 71 on January 11, 2025 in her mountain home in Creston, NC. Born in Ft. Pierce, Florida to Jack and Arlia Almond, she grew up in St. Lucie Village on the Indian River Lagoon and always said she had the very best childhood, fishing, clamming, water skiing and riding her horse, Diamond. 

Susan was a strong, smart and independent woman. Through her life she was a musician, medical lab tech, teacher, carpenter, fisherman, antiques dealer, graphic designer, business starter, rat terrier rescuer and the most wonderful mother. 

Susan was among the first group of students to graduate from the new Ft. Pierce Central High School in 1971, where she excelled in the school band. She could play the clarinet, bassoon, baritone and guitar. In the band, she met a drummer, Dean Irvin Maheuron, who became her first husband. After high school they married and had a daughter, Kim Maheuron Hadley. The couple parted ways as friends. Susan returned to St. Lucie Village and net fished in the Indian River Lagoon for a living. Later, she continued her education, graduating from Indian River Community College in Ft. Pierce as a Medical Laboratory Technician, and in addition to working at the local hospital, she taught students in that program.

Still in Ft. Pierce, Susan lived for years at the historic Casa Caprona where she met her second husband, Harry Beard, who’d hired her to repair the Casa’s old Spanish tiled roof. They bought a house on the Indian River Lagoon in Fort Pierce and spent their winters there. Summers were spent at their farm in rural Creston, North Carolina, where over the years they enjoyed mountain living and had a menagerie of pampered pets including horses, a pair of donkeys, a fainting goat, peacocks, chickens and many dogs and cats. Susan and Harry grew Fraser Fir trees on their mountain farm and sold them in Ft. Pierce as Creston Farms Christmas Trees. It was a thriving business during the holidays and employed many of the town’s youth including Susan’s daughter Kim and nephew Justin. Susan and Harry loved their North Carolina life and eventually sold their Florida home to live full-time in Creston. Their July 4th parties at their pond were legendary. 

Susan had a keen interest in antiques and opened a shop in downtown West Jefferson, NC, where she bought and refinished antiques. After creating a hand-drawn brochure identifying all the antique shops in the High Country, the seeds of her next career were planted in graphic design. Of note, she designed the logo, still in use today, for the Mountain Aire Golf Course in West Jefferson. Eventually she partnered in creating a shopper paper called Secondhand News in West Jefferson, publishing it successfully for many years.

In her retirement, Susan actively volunteered for New Rattitude, a nationwide non-profit group dedicated to the rescue and rehoming of abandoned, abused, neglected, sick, and unwanted Rat Terriers and Rat Terrier mixes. She was on the board for many years and did most of their graphic design work. She loved both dogs and graphic design and New Rattitude gave her both. What she didn’t count on were the many friendships she’d forge.

Susan blazed her own trail, leading a full life. Her friends will tell you she was sensible, logical, forthright and strong; as independent as they come. If she needed something done, she’d figure it out and do it herself—from her Mac computer to her broken washing machine to building the 2 barns on the farm. As she got older and her body betrayed her with the effects of rheumatoid arthritis, she still got it done—it just took her a little longer. She was smart and quick-witted and always the voice of reason. She enjoyed crosswords and Wordle and was an avid reader. She loved music, from the Beatles, Paul Simon and Jimmy Buffett to the local bluegrass band, Rock Bottom, and everything in between. She had a soft spot for all animals and once one adopted her, they were family and in for the best life ever. She loved fishing in the Indian River, eating seafood—especially raw oysters on the half shell, campfire cookouts and meteor showers.

Susan was predeceased by her husband Harold Beard in 2012. She is survived by her daughter Kim Hadley and partner George Rembert, her sister Julie Lounibos and husband Phil, her nephew, Justin Price and partner Lindsey Neshkoff, two great nephews, many cousins, countless friends and her dog Izzie.

A private celebration of life will be held in the Spring. If desired, donations in Susan’s memory can be made toNewRattitude.org/donate/.

Click here for her memorial video.