Roland J. "R.J." Bearden
Marriages
Maude Leona Lewright Bearden - November 16, 1905
died November 3, 1933.
Elizabeth C. Diamond Bearden - June 1, 1939
died September 19, 1953.
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - October 8, 1953
R. J. BEARDEN DIED IN GILMAN LAST EVENING.
R. J. BEARDEN, respected rancher of Eagle county and resident of Squaw Creek, passed away Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 in the Gilman Hospital, two weeks after his wife's death in the same hospital.
Mr. BEARDEN had been in poor health during the past several months, but had appeared to be feeling better during the past few weeks. He was taken ill Tuesday, and his son, Ellis, took him to the hospital that evening.
Funeral services for the late R. J. BEARDEN will be next Monday morning, Oct. 12 at 10 o'clock in the Baptist Church in Eagle.
Burial will be in Glenwood under the direction of Farnum Mortuary of Glenwood.
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 8 - October 15, 1953
Roland J. BEARDEN, who died in the Gilman Hospital October 7, was born in Clay Center, Kansas to Joshua and Sarah BEARDEN, one of eight children.
He spent his childhood in Kansas and moved with his family to the Cherokee Strip in Oklahoma.
In 1903 he first came to Colorado working in mines at Cripple Creek and Creede, then returned to Oklahoma, where in 1905 he married Maude Leright.
To this union three sons, Raymond, Ellis and Elton were born.
Mr. BEARDEN returned to Colorado in 1909, on a trip to buy horses and mules, which he shipped to the cotton country but it was not until 1915 that he returned with his family to live in the Eagle river valley, at first working on farms in the valley, then taking up a homestead on Squaw Creek near Edwards, which was to become the family home.
In 1933, Mrs. BEARDEN died, and Mr. BEARDEN and his sons remained alone on the ranch, until in 1939 he married Elizabeth DIAMOND of Leadville, who had come to Squaw Creek to teach school. Mrs. BEARDEN preceded her husband in death passing away in the Gilman Hospital a little over two weeks before Mr. BEARDEN's death.
During Mr. BEARDEN's lifetime he surrounded himself with a large circle of friends, and held a leading place in the Eagle river valley. He was active in stock and ranching affairs.
Funeral services were held in Eagle Monday morning, Oct. 12 by Rev. B. E. BULKLEY. Burial was in the family plot in the Glenwood Springs cemetery, under the direction of Farnum Mortuary.
Pallbearers were Pete DODO, J. D. ALLEN, Louis FENNO, Duane LARSEN, Kenneth SHIVELY, and Ed STONECYPHER.
Mr. BEARDEN is survived by his three sons: Raymond of Burns; Ellis of Edwards and Elton of Trinidad; four sisters: Mrs. Bertha CAREY, Kansas City, Kan.: Mrs. May LEE of San Jose, Calif.; Mrs. Mary DALRYMPLE of Hunter, Okla.; and Mrs. Cordia CLARK of Walla Walla, Wash.
Coming from out of town for the funeral were a niece, Mrs. Carl T. NORRIS of Ponca City, Okla.; Elton BEARDEN, son from Trindad; a brother-in-law, Jim DIAMOND, Mrs. DIAMOND, Kathryn and Margaret DIAMOND, James DIAMOND, Jr. and Miss Sandra BASKET all of Denver.
