Dr. Beard was born on October 29, 1934 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He attended college and medical school at Creighton University and completed his general internship at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado. He then entered a pediatrics residency at Denver Children’s Hospital. After completing his residency, he served 2 years in the Indian Health Service in Gallup, New Mexico.
Dr. Beard then moved to Fort Collins in 1964 and established the Fort Collins Youth Clinic. He was the first Board Certified Pediatrician in Fort Collins. The Youth Clinic grew rapidly and Dr. Beard soon brought in Dr. Thomas Wera with the subsequent addition of Doctors James McGinnis and Max Elliott. These four physicians established the Fort Collins Youth Clinic as the premier Pediatric practice in Northern Colorado.
As the practice grew, Dr. Beard began to focus his care to adolescents and was a founding member of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Dr. Beard oversaw the expansion of The Youth Clinic from one small office to the current 4 offices located throughout Northern Colorado.
Dr. Beard retired from The Youth Clinic in 1999. In the 58 years since Dr. Beard opened The Youth Clinic much has changed but his dedication to pediatric patients and their families set the high standard that The Youth Clinic aspires to today. Dr. Beard will be missed and remembered as a pioneer by bringing the pediatric specialty to Northern Colorado.
Dr. Beard truly lived full life!