Dr. Richard Bearden Jr.

Dr. Richard Chester Bearden, Jr., 69, of Moore, SC, passed away March 24, 2023, at his home.  Born October 29, 1953, in Spartanburg, SC, he was the son of the late Alice Darthy Baldwin and Richard Chester Bearden Sr.

He was a graduate of Spartanburg High School, earned his bachelor’s degree from University of South Carolina and his Doctor of Medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina.  He then completed his General Surgery Residency at Spartanburg Regional Hospital.  Dr. Bearden was a physician with the SC Correctional System, working over 25 years within the prison system.  He retired in 2015.

Dr. Bearden was a member of First Baptist Church, Spartanburg and he was very involved in the life of the church. He had a beautiful bass voice and sang in the choir for over 30 years. He truly lived life to the fullest and enjoyed skydiving, scuba diving, and traveling all around the world.  He most recently returned from a trip to Africa.  He was a wine enthusiast, an avid reader, a history buff and the family historian.  He was a wonderful friend to many and absolutely cherished by his family.

He is survived by his sister, Debra Sadowski (Stan) of Charlotte, NC, niece, Amanda Finlon (Michael) of Concord, NC, nephew, Matthew Shepherd (Chelsy) of Charlotte, NC and three great nephews, Colin Finlon, Sam Finlon, and Elliot Finlon all of Concord, NC.

Funeral service will be held at 12:00 PM, Monday, April 3, 2023, at First Baptist Church with The Rev. Sal Barone and The Rev. Kent Smith officiating.The family will receive friends briefly immediately following the service and the committal service will be held at 2:00 PM in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, 1300 Fernwood-Glendale Road, Spartanburg, SC 29307.

Flowers are appreciated and are being coordinated by Coggins Flowers of Spartanburg.