Kathleen Beard

Kathleen I. Beard, age 67, of Lake St. Croix Beach, MN, passed away on December 17, 2015 at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, surrounded by her family.

Kathleen was born on August 31, 1948 in Star Prairie, Minnesota; the daughter of Laurence and Madeline (Gibson) Andert. She was raised in Minnesota where she graduated from St. Croix Lutheran High School. In 1971, she was united in marriage to Arthur Beard in St. Paul. To this union, children Robert, Madeline, and Anna were born. This union would later end in divorce. Kathleen will be remembered for her years of service for the United States Post Office. She worked early in her career in Lakeland as a Postal carrier, before transferring to Hudson where she worked as a mail carrier for twenty-five years.

Kathleen first and foremost loved her family and grandchildren; being surrounded by them gave her the utmost pleasure. She enjoyed traveling and visiting new places, playing a game of cards, or stopping by Kozy Korner to try her hand at their slot machines. Kathleen was a spitfire who loved to joke with others. She was the neighborhood mom who loved a house full of kids.

Kathleen is survived by her children, Robert (Penny) Beard of Hudson, Madeline Beard of Lake St. Croix Beach, and Anna (Jeremy) Paulsen of Lake St. Croix Beach; grandchildren, Gillian, Hunter, Dylan, and Isabella; special friend, Bruce King of Hudson; brother, John (Paula) Andert of Idaho; sister-in-law, Judy Hodge; former husband Arthur Beard of Cottage Grove.

She is preceded in death by parents, Laurence and Madeline (Gibson) Andert; stillborn daughter, Christina Beard; sister, Mary (Andrew) Oquist; and brother, Laurence Andert.

A Gathering of Friends and Family will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at the O’Connell Family Funeral Home, 520 S. 11th St., Hudson. Private service and interment will be held.