Obituary of Dr. John W. Bearden

Dr. John W. Bearden, age 86, passed away Thursday, February 11, 2016 in the Serenity Suite at Lake Regional Health System, Osage Beach, Missouri. Dr. Bearden was born in Oklahoma on March 9, 1929 and spent his early years in Arkansas. After graduating from the Poughkeepsie High School, he attended Arkansas College at Batesville, graduating in 1949. In 1949 and 1950, he played professional baseball in the New York Yankees organization, while teaching in the Sidney, Arkansas, schools during the off-season. In 1950, Dr. Bearden joined the U.S. Air Force, where he served for three years. After his release from the Air Force, Dr. Bearden attended the George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville and received a Master of Education degree in Educational Administration in 1955. In 1954, Dr. Bearden began his full-time teaching career as a teacher and coach in Ravanna, Missouri, where he later served as superintendent for three years. In 1958, Dr. Bearden became Superintendent of Schools at Iberia, where he served for eight years. In 1965, he was appointed Superintendent of Schools at Camdenton, where he served for 23 years. In 1970, Bearden received his doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Bearden's career was characterized by the expansion of educational facilities and learning opportunities for students. During his years as a superintendent, he supervised construction of new school buildings costing more than $11.5 million. In his 23 years at Camdenton, enrollment increased from 1,100 students to almost 3,000; and the faculty grew from 22 teachers to more than 200 certificated employees. Dr. Bearden was active in local, state, and national professional organizations. He was a charter member and past president of the Missouri Association of School Administrators, a past president of the UMC College of Education Alumni Association, a member of the two Governor's Conferences on Education, a Missouri Delegate to National Conventions of the American Association of School Administrators, a member of the National Advisory Board for Superintendents, listed in Who's Who in American Education, and was MSTA Southwest District's Educator of the year in 1984. He has also served on numerous committees formed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. He was also a 50 year member of the Iberia Masons. Dr. Bearden was an active member of the Missouri State Teachers Association, the Missouri Association of School Administrators, the American Association of School Administrators and Phi Delta Kappa. He was also active in several civic and fraternal organizations including the Lake of the Ozarks Shrine Club and the Lake Valley Golf and Country Club. In addition, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Lake of the Ozarks General Hospital and served a two-year term as president of that Board. Dr. Bearden enjoyed golfing, hunting, reading, and watching baseball. John Bearden is preceded in death by his wife Jean (2008). Dr. Bearden is survived by a daughter, Dr. Kathy Bearden Peckron (husband Ted) of Wildwood (St. Louis County), Missouri. Dr. Peckron is the retired Deputy Superintendent in the Rockwood School District, St. Louis County. Dr. Bearden is also survived by his son, Mr. Wes Bearden (wife Carla) of Camdenton, Missouri. Wes is the I.T. supervisor for Camden County. Dr. Bearden is also survived by three grandsons, Brett Bearden, Ryan Bearden, and Jonathan Peckron. He is also survived by great grandchildren, Easton Bearden, Sawyer Bearden, Koltyn Bearden, Kanon Bearden, and Amelia Peckron. John has 2 siblings, brother, Hank Bearden of Evening Shade, Arkansas, and sister, Linda Wylie of Carbondale Colorado, that survive him along with 4 nieces and 2 nephews. He was a man of conviction that touched and changed the lives of so many people in our community. He cherished his work with his students, but above all else held his relationship with his family and friends paramount.