Rebecca Jo Bard

Rebecca Jo Bard

December 9, 1940 – January 17, 2026

Rebecca Jo Bard lived with curiosity, faith, and a steady belief that people matter and that time, when given room, reveals what is true.

Born Rebecca Jo Brooks on December 9, 1940, in Evansville, Indiana, she was the daughter of Ora and Thelma Brooks and the second of four children, growing up alongside her siblings Wanda, Ora, and Pamela Sue. With her passing, she is the last living member of her immediate generation, closing a chapter defined by resilience, responsibility, and care for one another.

Rebecca was preceded in death by her husband of fifty years, Eldon Bard. She is survived by her sons, Ronald Badgett and Randall Badgett and their spouses; her grandchildren Rebecca Urso, Michael Badgett, Emily Badgett, Elizabeth Harrigan, Daniel Badgett, Shannon Badgett, and Rhiannon Badgett and their spouses; and many great-grandchildren. She was deeply connected to her extended family and especially close with her nieces, Sandy Servidio and Robin Hunter and their spouses, maintaining lifelong friendships with so many marked by loyalty and presence.

Rebecca’s childhood was spent in Indiana, Texas, and Virginia, shaped by her father’s government work and frequent moves. As a young mother, she relocated with her first husband to Rhode Island. In the years that followed, she returned to Virginia and later New York, navigating that season with independence, responsibility, and resolve.

It was during this time that she met Eldon Bard. Their relationship moved quickly and decisively. They had known one another only a few months when Rebecca agreed to move across the country with him to California. Trusting her judgment and her instincts, she took the risk. For several months, they camped together in the Bay Area before securing a home, building their life from the ground up. That decision marked the beginning of a fifty-year marriage rooted in partnership, courage, and mutual respect.

Becky spent the majority of her professional career in California before retiring to Florida.

Becky was a pioneer in her field. At the beginning of the personal computing revolution in Silicon Valley, she worked as a computer programmer and trainer at companies including Unisys and DHL. At a time when few women held technical roles, she became known not only for her intelligence and problem-solving ability, but for her patience and clarity as a teacher. She trained colleagues across departments and continents, mentored others as they learned emerging systems, and earned respect through competence rather than self-promotion. She did not seek recognition; she focused on helping people understand, adapt, and succeed.

Her love of learning extended beyond work. She was an accomplished quilter, an avid journaler and scrapbooker, a pianist, and a gifted linguist who delighted in Latin and wordplay. She was famously good at Scrabble. She valued taking time — for conversation, for craft, and for people — and she was known as someone who listened carefully and spoke plainly.

Becky and Eldon shared a love of travel and adventure. With her family, she visited all fifty states and six continents. She cherished time outdoors, especially skiing in Tahoe, walking the cliffs of Monterey Bay, swimming in Hawaii, camping, and sailing. Sailing was their shared space — Eldon at the helm, Becky managing the sails, attentive to wind and timing, working in quiet partnership.

Her homes, whether in the mountains of Santa Cruz or along the Gulf Coast of Florida, were places of welcome. Guests were fed well, included fully, and never rushed. People left knowing they were welcome back. She always considered her friends and neighbors as part of her family.

Faith was central to Becky’s life, expressed through action rather than words. She served for many years as a Stephen Minister and Stephen Ministry teacher, held leadership roles in United Methodist Women’s District Council for Florida’s Gulf Coast, and supported her church through consistent service — bake sales, study groups, mentoring youth, and pastoral care. When someone was struggling, she showed up. She listened. She stayed.

Becky believed in honesty and responsibility. She did not avoid difficult conversations, but she handled them with respect. She often said that “water seeks its own level,” trusting that time, patience, and integrity matter more than force. She valued relationship over being right and believed that growth cannot be rushed.

For the final three years of her life, Becky lived with her granddaughter Elizabeth Harrigan, who she helped raise, Elizabeth’s husband Bernard Harrigan, and her great-grandson Quillan Harrigan. She spent her final years surrounded by family, cared for with love, and connected to the daily rhythms of home.

Becky believed she would be reunited with Eldon, and she trusted what came next. She is remembered as capable, generous, curious, and steady — someone who figured things out, helped others do the same, and made room for people along the way.

She lived fully. She loved deeply. She showed up. And she trusted God’s timing.

A private memorial service will be held for family and friends. Please contact Elizabeth Harrigan for further information, eh24a@fsu.edu.