John William "Bill" Beard

Date	Party	Office	Votes	Result
11-06-1956	Democratic	SD-39	9456	Win

Candidate Biography:

Born: March 25, 1920 in Chicago, Illinois
Barried: Ann Dodgen (m. 1945)
Children: John William Jr., Joseph, Carolyn and Paul
Military Service: ARMY (WWII)
Died: February 7, 2006 in Rancho San Diego, CA

1952-1955: Deputy District Attorney, Imperial County
1956: Delegate, Democratic National Convention
1980-1990: Judge, San Diego Municipal Court
1960-1962: Member, California Industrial Accident Commission
1962-1965: Chair, California Industrial Accident Commission

• According to his obituary, Beard was "instrumental in launching 'The Other Bar,' a 12-step program of lawyers helping lawyers."
• WWII: Was a pilot in the Army Air Forces and served 28 months in the European theater of operations and flew 1500 hours.
• AIR CRASH: Beard was scheduled to be the pilot of a flight carrying musician Glenn Miller and Lt. Colonel Norman Baessell from England to Paris until he was offered $20 to change assignments by John Morgan (a friend). The flight disappeared over the English Channel and has never been found.

Source: California Blue Book (1958)
Source: Oral History Project Interview (1987)
Source: Obituary (2006)
Source: Members of the California Legislature and Other State Officials by the California Teamsters Legislative Council (1957 ed.)