The following is adapted from Teresa's obituary as it appeared in The Dallas Morning News:
Teresa Lynn Skelton Beard was born March 24, 1952 at Camp Roberts, CA. A fantastic, creative, loving, free-spirited lady, Teresa was partner to husband, Tyler, in numerous ventures throughout their 30 years together, writing Western-oriented books, restoring and building homes of interest, manufacturing and marketing Western dinnerware, collecting and selling antiques, and traveling throughout the world. Cooking for family and friends was one of her biggest joys, creating each dish from scratch. An avid reader and connoisseur of old movies, Teresa was cheerful, always willing to help others, having a fantastic sense of humor and wit. She loved nature, gardening, growing herbs, and feeding the deer & birds that came to expect her kindness every day at her country home. She would crawl over or under a fence; whatever it took to gather a colorful bunch of wild flowers to grace her home with beauty. Her wildest dream was to meet James Brown, the "godfather of soul." Teresa was a talented ballet and tap dancer, beginning lessons at age three and continuing to adulthood. An accomplished swimmer, she once saved the life of a drowning child and taught her sister and step-brother to swim. She is dearly loved and will be missed forever by family and wonderful friends, too many to mention. Teresa's sister, Rene, was her best friend whom she significantly influenced. Teresa deeply enjoyed her Lampasas ladies' group and spoke of them often, as well as her many friends. She died July 14, 2005, at her home in Lampasas, TX.
photo by Fran Collin
Remembering Teresa by Deb Conkling
I like to focus on the last time I saw her. I visited Tyler and Teresa in Lampasas in May. We had lovely weather, and Tyler and I sat outside and made jewelry and glued shells onto pots. We took our leftover grout and a bunch of old marbles and filled up holes in trees. While we were acting like kids Teresa watched from the kitchen window, smiling indulgently. She brought us steaming bowls of oatmeal laden with butter and maple syrup, and big mugs of tea for breakfast, and we ate in their beautiful backyard. She bustled around, cooked an amazing dinner, gave me fashion tips, told jokes, fed the deer, and seemed as happy and relaxed as I had ever known her to be. There was no hint of the tragedy that would soon unfold.
I will always love Teresa for loving my brother. She managed to weather his quirks, join him for the ride, and adapt to the changes. She had an innate sense of style that matched or surpassed Tyler's, and they were The Couple to look at. Her quick wit, her wide knowledge, her love of reading, and her enthusiasm for karaoke astounded me. She was my brother's soulmate, the person who lit him up, who stood by him at every turn. I trust they are reunited now.
We invite everyone who has photos and stories related to Teresa and who would be so kind as to share them, please send them by e-mail to Allen Stovall at: lalightworks@sbcglobal.net .