Alan Beard OAM, who overcame polio to become one of the Hunter Region's top educators, died on Monday aged 88.
Mr Beard contracted the disease at the age of 14, missed a year of high school and was left with a severely affected right leg. Despite his disability, he became a prefect at Fort St Boys High School and won a teaching scholarship and University Exhibition to Sydney University where he graduated with a BSc and diploma of education.
After 10 years teaching high school maths and science, he began a leading role in educational management, becoming Assistant Director of Education in the Hunter Region. In 1981, he became the Director of the Hunter Region, moving later to the position of NSW Assistant Director-General of Education.
He became widely recognized for his role in the development of the Marching Koala marching band and the performing arts in Hunter schools. He also introduced the Japanese language as a subject in NSW and set up the "sister schools" system.
But he was probably best known for his role in the development of social cycling and his work in Rotary and Probus. After years of being involved in the RTA's Big Ride cycling event, he was instrumental in starting the popular "Loop the Lake" cycling classic in Lake Macquarie which attracts thousands of participants each year.
A former President of Warners Bay Rotary Club and club member for more than 20 years, he was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship, the highest Rotary award at club level. Ironically, it was the Rotary movement which played a major role in eliminating polio world-wide.
During his teaching days, Mr Beard was posted to Kempsey where he was also involved in staging and singing in musicals. By another quirk of fate, his son David is now teaching maths at the same Kempsey school and was given the same desk as the one used by his father 53 years ago.
Mr Beard was a keen sailor on Lake Macquarie and, in later years, was a marriage celebrant.
He is survived by his wife Laurie, his four children Greg, Deborah, David and James, eight grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
The funeral will be held on Friday at 2pm at Lake Macquarie Memorial Park, Ryhope.
