Ricky Duane Beardslee, Jr.

Ricky Duane Beardslee, Jr. was born on December 12, 1963, in Odessa, Texas.   He went to be with the Lord on May 30, 2024.  

I really don’t know how to put into words what an extraordinary man he was.  He was so full of love and life and energy and joy.  He loved our Lord and served Him in the way he lived his life, serving others. If I had to choose one word that summed him up, it would be BLESSING.   God sent him to me in a beautiful package and topped it off with a big red bow that some people call hair.  I had never met anyone like him before.  His capacity to love was far above anything I could imagine.   He was so full of life and to me he was absolutely beautiful.  He made me feel safe and was like a lion if I felt threatened.  I loved him with every cell in my body, and he loved me back.   He was witty and so full of energy.   He spent over a year trying to get me to marry him.  I kept telling him I was too old and that he deserved a life with a young beautiful woman and lots of children.  I had three teenaged children already and could not give him a bloodline child with a red bow on top.  One night he asked me if I believed God was still able to make miracles happen.  I looked at him and those beautiful blue eyes and said God can do anything that is His will.  Well, he said, If you marry me, you will immediately give me three beautiful children and I don’t have to wait any more.  I already love them.  And if it is God’s will, according to your faith, he can give us more, right?  There was no comeback to that.  I knew God was speaking to me through his mouth and telling me that Ricky was my gift from Him.  I became Mrs. Ricky Duane Beardslee, Jr. on March 6, 1988, and thus began our life together.  And one year later, God gave us (as Ricky always said, “I told you so”) a blue eyed baby girl of our own.  So, our quiver was full.  We had Robert, Gregg, Angie and Brittani.  We were all six truly blessed, and love abounded in our household.  Life is full of unexpected blessings and trials, but in our house, God was always present, and we always put our faith and trust in God as our #1 priority.  We were His children and leaned heavily on the fact that He was in control, and never wavered from that truth.  There was a reason for everything under the sun, and it was not our place to ask “WHY?”, just trust Him to know that if we sought him first in all things, everything would be all right.

So, here we are today, trusting Him that everything will be all right.  Good will come because Ricky lived and died holding onto God’s hand to his last breath.  Those of us left behind are the ones that will suffer his loss.  But, it is okay to cry and grieve.  Even Jesus cried.  Ricky is free of pain and disease that had struck him over the last 3 years, and for that, we are so thankful.  Our hearts are broken, and the pain almost unbearable, but God is in control and He alone will provide us with His comfort.  We will not be asking why.  To do so would dishonor God and Ricky.

I am his wife, Donna Workman Beardslee, and I will love him until God calls me home.  Also left behind and hurting so much, are his children, Robert Workman, Gregg Workman, Elisa Garcia Workman, Brittani Beardslee Espino, Gahndi Espino and Carl Claunch.  Their pain is so great because they loved him so much and he loved them even more.  Also devastated by his loss are his grandchildren, Ashlyn Workman Pugh, Brock Pugh, Sam Workman, Madi Jatzlau Workman, Luke Workman, Gabi Workman, Emma Workman and Sofia Workman.  They were Ricky’s pride and joy and they all adored their papaw and thought he was so “cool”.  His Aunt Barbara Davis Allison his Aunt Loanne Davis Ritter, his Aunt Twanna Davis McMurrian and his Aunt Vicky Beardslee Simpson, are broken by his passing.  His love for them was unfailing to the very end.  Many cousins are also grieving his loss.  Also left behind is his step mother, Heidi Beardslee.  Those he called friends (which was everyone he knew) are suffering with disbelief at this time.  To them I would say what Ricky always knew and believed.  “Our days are numbered before we are ever created in the womb.  Only God knows the day and the hour that it is our time.  You better get right and stay right with God because He is our only Hope, Peace and Comfort.  Only He can promise His believers the untold peace and joy that awaits those of us whose life counted for glory to God, no matter what circumstances we faced here on this earth.”

Ricky was preceded in death by his loving daughter, Angie Marie Workman, his adoring mother Betty Lou Davis Beardslee, his father Ricky Duane Beardslee, and his brother Devin Duane Beardslee.  His Granny and Papaw Mabel and Carl Davis, and Chauncey and Jessie Beardslee, his Uncle Carl Davis and his Uncle Don Davis.

May God Bless us all as we continue our walk on earth without Ricky’s physical presence.  The path ahead is not going to be easy, but someday, we can look forward to the Peace that passes all understanding. “ Go Rest High Upon the Mountain my love.  I will look for you there.  I love you with all of my heart and soul.”