Jack Randall Bearden

Mr. Jack Randall Bearden was born April 18, 1937, in Akron, Ohio, to Grover Cleveland and Maude Higdon Bearden, both originally from north Georgia. They had Jack and one other son, Jack’s younger brother, Raylynn, who died at 21.

He attended school in Akron, but spent his summers with relatives in north Georgia, an area he grew to love. In high school he enjoyed metal and wood shop. He played sports including baseball and basketball. He was a hard worker and entrepreneurial by nature. He owned a janitorial service in Atlanta and he worked for Ford Motor Company in Cleveland, Ohio, and later Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain.

He married Genie, April 29, 1988. In 2002, they retired to Ellijay. There he stayed active and busy. He served as chairman of trustees for the  Ellijay United Methodist Church, improving the building in many ways. His main passion however was working with the Faith, Hope and Charity Recycle Store.

As business manager and chairman of the board, he helped the store to purchase and move to a much larger building. He also greatly expanded its programs and began an effort to fund a building for the Gilmer Community Food Pantry.

In August of 2012, Jack and Genie moved to Eagle, Idaho, to be near family. In Idaho, he was an active member of the Eagle United Methodist Church. He developed Parkinson’s disease and died at home March 13, 2022. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

H is survived by wife, Genie Bearden; son, Randy Bearden (Lisa); daughters, Jacqueline Apsley (David), Rhonda Apsley (Mark), and Allison Smith; grandchildren, Jennifer McCannon (Jason), Michelle Roberts (Solomon), Prestin Apsley (Emily), Jacob Apsley (Raimey), Holly Apsley and Heidi Apsley; and great-grandchildren, Rylee Roberts and Caiden Roberts.