Kennith Cardell Beard “Ken” was born in Gainesville Texas on February 21,1944 to Toy and Lola Beard. Ken passed away in Bakersfield, Ca on January 23,2026.
Born the youngest of 11 children, the family relocated to California eventually landing in the small town of Dustin Acres. Ken attended the Taft City School District and graduated from Taft Union High School in 1962. While attending High School Ken worked at the Sunland Gas Station where a chance meeting led him to meet the love of his life Patricia Chambers. They married after a brief courtship and remained married for the past 64 years.
Ken started work in the oilfields in Taft where he learned all aspects of the oilfield industry. Ken worked on offshore drilling platforms in Alaska for a short time. Upon his return to Taft, he went into business with his brother at General Production Services. Eventually, Ken decided to branch out on his own and started KB Drilling and Production Services. His business employed several hundred employees at its peak, most of them natives of Taft.
Ken bought KB Oil and Gas, Inc. in the mid 1980’s when he became one of Taft’s Independent oil producers. After shutting the doors on KB Drilling, Ken decided to pursue a childhood dream and bought KB Ranch in Peru, Kansas. For 23 years, Ken and his wife Pat operated a registered Black Angus beef cattle ranch where Ken finally fulfilled his dream.
Ken and Pat sold KB Ranch and moved back to California to be closer to their growing family. Throughout all his successful business ventures, Ken always said the greatest fortune he ever made was his family.
Ken survived by his wife of 64 years, Patricia; son Ken and wife Debbie and daughter Kimberly Rawles. Grandchildren: Michael Patterson, Stephanie and husband Butch, Brandon and wife Melanie, Christopher and wife Alyssa, Karissa and husband Mark. Great Grandchildren: Faith, Michael, Kylie, Serenity, Jaidyn, Raylend, Korbyn, Emma, Elliana, William, James, Kristopher, Jaxon, Silas and Hendrix. Ken is also survived by his sister Norwieta Cook of Fresno, CA.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents Toy and Lola Beard of Dustin Acres, CA, sister Lois Mowrey of Cambria, CA; sister Billie Ryan of Honor, MI, sister Evelyn Rogers of Taft, CA, sister Bernice “Bunny” Wilson of Anchorage, AK, sister Oleta Harris of Taft, CA, sister Anna Nunez of Los Angeles, CA, brother Halton Beard of Walnut Bend, TX, brother Charles Beard of Taft, CA and brother Tony Beard of Taft, CA.
Ken loved several things in this life. Family first, his dogs, his many, many friends and last but not least, Hostess Twinkies.
Services will be graveside at the West Side Cemetery, 440 E Cedar St on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. followed by a celebration of life at the Moose Lodge 205 ½ N. 10th Street at 1:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that a donation be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, the M.S Foundation or the Cancer Society.