Wendy Christine Beard
10Jan1951 - August 1966

Not that Wendy died in 1966, but changed name to Kris

Wendy Beard = Kris Stewart, Professor of Computer Science, Emerita 2013, at San Diego State University; joined the faculty in 1984 as Assistant Professor of Numerical Analysis

Nancy Beard [Douglas] (sister), Janet Douglas Beard (mom), Wendy Christine Beard (me), Wendell Otis Beard (dad)
Beard Family Xmas Card Photo 1961? Wendy/Kris (next to the Major) is in 5th grade at Belinder Elementary School, Prairie Village, KS

I am proud to be called a Marine Corps Brat.

What is unique about this life?

You move every 2 or 3 years [I got one (1) moving carton for "my stuff", no wonder I'm a packrat now.]

• 1951: Wendy/Kris is born (Wednesday's Child) at Camp Pendleton while Dad is fighting in Korea.
• 1951-3 Capistrano Beach CA
• 1953-1955 Parris Island SC
• 1955: Stationed at MCAS El Toro Wherry Park housing [1st Marine Corps base we lived on that no longer exists, Orange County changes ...]
  Playland Nursery School. Wendy row 2 next to last with pigtails Wherry Housing upper R

• 1956-8: Kindergarten and 1st grade at Barbers Point Naval Station while we were stationed at NAD (Naval Ammo Depot) Waikele, lived on base. Oahu was still a territory. Waimea had not been surfed and was off-limits to military. Magical time. Now know that they stored NUKES for the Pacific fleet here. Waikele History pdf, online WSS Waikele Self Storage;
  Waikele Gate 1977 [2nd Marine Corps duty station that no longer exists]
  15June1958 Hula Certificate SS Leilani cruise ship returning to CA

• 1958-60: stationed Camp Pendleton, living off-base in Vista. 2nd and 3rd grade at Santa Fe Elementary School, Vista, CA. Get to Disneyland yearly for Camp Pendleton night [no A- B- C- D- E-tickets for that night].
  1959 movie Gidget is released (IMDB)

  
  2ndGrade Brownie troop 3rdGrade Wendy & Pattie row1
  1959 certs brownie troop

• 1960-63: Kansas City while dad worked with the USMC Reserves. We lived in Prairie Village KS, with civilians. Attended Belinder Elementary School. Sandahl Bergman (wiki) was in my Girl Scout Troup. We watched NASA space shots at school in the halls.
  Kirschner Nov62 horse
  4th Mrs Bridgeman 5th Mrs ODell 6th Mrs McKenna
  Scout troop train to Hannibal Mo - can you spot Sandahl Bergman [movie star now] (4th from right)
  Barn, Grandpa Don background Nov59 Horse Cgold wMom 1960Jan14 VistaP BrownieTr
  1960July Coarsegold moving to Prairie Village KS Grand Tetons Jackson Hole. SLC YellowSt
  KC SciFair Exhibitor MySolarSys BalletC Page Wendy NgbhSchool
  Summer 1963 Nancy, Wendy and cousin John at Disneyland, change of duty from Prairie Village KS to Quantico VA, so visit family in SoCal

• 1963-1966: Marine Corps Schools Quantico, Va, lived on-base and took bus to school. Had to keep up with younger sister Nancy when she joined the swim team. Nancy is double-jointed and a natural backstroker. I was mediocre and was used to fill out Medley Relay teams - all I had to do was swim 100m butterfly without being DQd (disqualified). Eventually you develop a fairly efficient stroke.
  NYC UN Steps D.C. 63fit 64fit Fscore W-award 6th KirstenM&me Sum95Williamsburg
  7th & 8th 7th grade class names-JRussel

• 1966-1969: back to Vista CA so dad could prepare and to go Vietnam war. Unique for a Brat to spend high school in one location. I lucked out because Lincoln Jr. High and Washington Jr. High both fed into Vista High School [VHS], so I fit in more easily.

  Kris Beard is created when we turn in QuanticoVA school records to VHS office. Thanks Janet, my mom, for support.
  Vista Backyard Kris VHS'69; Nancy VHS'70

• 1969-1973: UCSD math major and I fall in love-at-first sight with Glen Stewart, the Santa Cruz surfer from Los Altos Hills. My dorm suite mate Carolyn went to LAHS with Glen and Gary Brink, who were cruising the dorm halls first night in the dorms.
• Dad stationed @ Pendleton until 1975 or so when he retired from the Corps.

Besides moving so often, being raised as a military dependent is unique:

If a child misbehaves, it goes on the parent's military service record and may impact their career.

Big difference living-on base with fellow "brats" or off-base with "civilians".

Each change of duty the family would make the big trip to visit the relatives [Aunt Dorothy Summers (Janet's sister) & Cousin John in La Habra; Grandpa Don Douglas (Janet's father) at cattle ranch in Coarsegold; Mimi (Janet's mother, Selma Douglas) in Whittier; Grandma/pa Beard (Wendell's parents) in Sacramento, later Harper, Kansas.]

• Wendell O Beard, Father
• Janet Douglas Beard, Mother
• Don Douglas, Janet's father, their whole family spent summers in the High Sierras, Mammoth Lakes. The
• Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit is now run by John Summers, Kris' cousin, Janet's nephew.

back to Kris' home page