Edwin “Bob” Bearb

Edwin Bob Bearb, 91, of Beaumont, Texas passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of October 18, 2021, from metastatic brain cancer.

Edwin Bob Bearb was born in Rayne, Louisiana, on January 1, 1930, the third of six children from the union of Calise and Alice Bearb. He went to Rayne High School and entered the United States Army at 16 years of age. He guarded the Panama Canal during his time of service. He was honorably discharged and returned to Rayne where he obtained his GED and became employed at Kennedy’s Department Store specializing in accounting. There he met Ella Lou (Pip) Broussard. They were married in September of 1951. He and Ella moved to Beaumont, Texas in the early 1950s when he became employed as a clerk at Magnolia Refinery. He remained as a clerk when Magnolia was acquired by Mobil Oil. Edwin became Union President of the clerical workers at Mobil (Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union). Ultimately, he became a Mobil Company Employee and rose to the position of supervisor over the storehouse (materials management). He retired in 1992 after thirty-eight years with the company and began doing consulting work for Mobil over the next several years, first in California and then in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Ella and Edwin had two children, Suzanne and Michael, and remained married for forty-seven years until Ella’s death in 1998. He met Sandra Garner in Beaumont and they were married on January 31, 2004 and remained together for seventeen years until Edwin’s passing. Edwin loved his tools and loved to build and repair just about anything. His happiest times were spent in his workshop surrounded by cats, tools, and working on his next project. His neighbors lovingly referred to him as the easy button, as they went to him with their repair needs. He gladly accommodated their requests.

Edwin is survived by his wife, Sandy Garner Bearb of Beaumont; a son, Michael Edwin Bearb and his wife, Patti, of Jackson, Tennessee; two stepsons, Lloyd Thompson and Lowell Thompson, both of Beaumont; brothers, Jimmy Bearb and his wife, Francis, and Billy Bearb and his wife, Cindy, of Carencro, Louisiana; grandchildren, Robby Rayburn of Canyon Lake, Texas; Stacy Barnett Smith, Kimberly Barnett Smith, and Katy Barnett Smith, all of Forney, Texas; Emily Bearb of New York City, New York; and Renee Bearb of Nashville, Tennessee; step grandson, Darren Thompson of Beaumont, Texas; and eight great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his father, Cailse Bearb; mother, Alice Stutes Bearb; brothers, Tracy Bearde and Donald Bearb; sister, Una Mae Bearb Sanz; wife, Ella Lou (Pip) Bearb; and daughter, Suzanne (momma Sue) Bearb Barnett.

A gathering of Edwin’s family and friends will begin 1:30 p.m., with his funeral service at 2:30 p.m., Saturday, October 23, 2021, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont, with Minister Tara Thompson from St. Andrews Presbyterian Church officiating. His interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.

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