Wendy Christine Beard

Wendy Christine Beard
10Jan1951 - August 1966

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

This url stewart.sdsu.edu/wendy/ Updated: 02July2025
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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

Valid stories (in film) related to my life:
Brats: Our Journey Home

Brats doc https://www.bratswithoutborders.org/ Military brat (U.S. subsculture) Wikipedia
The Great Santini Glad dad had two daughters; no son could compete with him. "Women should be kept barefoot and pregnant", can be a motivator.
The Boomer Century: 1946-2046 PBS documentary timeline

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 Air 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 Santa Fe Elementary Brownie troop 11Dec'58
3rdGrade Wendy & Pattie row1; VistaPress BrownieTr 14Jan'60
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
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

Kris Beard is created when we turn in QuanticoVA school records to VHS office. Thanks Janet, my mom, for support.
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 - Lincoln kids thought I was from Washington & vice versa.
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 our 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, Whittier High Coach, 1931 & '38 Basketball Champs; their whole family spent summers in the High Sierras, Mammoth Lakes. The
MLPO, Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit is now run by John Summers, Kris' cousin, Janet's nephew.

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