Harriett Jane "Rickie" (Merriman) Beardmore, 79, of Deale MD & formerly of Morningside MD, passed away on Sunday November 27, 2022 at her home surrounded by her family after a courageous battle with lung cancer.
She was born on December 14, 1942 in Washington DC to James Merriman & Ruth (Goodwin) Merriman, the second of their four daughters. She attended Suitland High School in PG County & was very involved in the Holy Family Catholic Church Teen Club. She also participated in many events & parades as a majorette with the Silver Hill VFD. While performing in the Riva Fire Department Parade in 1960, Rickie complained to a mutual friend that she felt cold in her majorette uniform & that friend suggested she jump into Morningside volunteer fire fighter Billy Beardmore's arms to keep warm, which she promptly did despite having never met him before!
After graduating from Suitland in 1961, Rickie began working at the National Bank of Washington DC where she scored the highest on an entry exam to begin training as an IBM computer programmer. She was the first female computer programmer the bank had ever employed & frequently traveled to NY City to train & work. Billy and Rickie married in April 1964 and later settled into a home in Morningside close to most of Billy's family. It was while living here that Rickie & Billy developed lifelong friendships with many folks actively involved with the local fire departments. Rickie continued to work with IBM computers off & on until the birth of her third child. A few years later, the family relocated to their present home in Deale, where their door was always open to whoever came knocking.
Rickie was a longtime member of various Model A Ford clubs & multiple antique car organizations in MD, VA, & DC. She & Billy enjoyed many years of "cruising" all over the USA in their antique vehicles, but they both were especially proud of the more than 118,000 miles they traveled together over the years in their personally restored 1931 Model A Ford Coupe. Their car club adventures also introduced them to many of their best friends over the years. Rickie was a charter member & past president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1619 Women's Association & a founding member & very active participant on the committee of the annual fundraiser IAFF MDA Softball Tournament, which is now in its 49th year. During these 49 years, Rickie developed strong friendships with fire department families from all over the USA & Canada and looked forward to visiting with them each September during the tournament. She was also a member of the Morningside VFD Ladies Auxiliary & bowled on their league team in her younger years. An avid fan of music of all genres, Rickie spent many years singing with the Sweet Adelines' vocal group & attending various musical concerts. She spent the past twenty years practicing yoga with her "yoga ladies" once or twice a week & continued to enjoy this exercise & their company via Zoom the past two years. As a longtime parishioner at St. James Parish, Rickie volunteered her time with the church's SCAN Food Pantry, making the dough & wafers for communion with The Wafer Makers, hosting Family Fellowship pool parties, & working in the kitchen with The Women of St. James. She especially enjoyed her time on the altar guild at the parish's chapel, St. Mark's, finding joy in putting together the weekly flower arrangements & seeing the same friendly faces early each Sunday morning. Rickie loved babies & children, flowers, cooking, embroidery smocking, animals, music, traveling, etc., but what she loved most of all were people, especially her grandchildren. She enjoyed every minute they spent with her & loved summers the most because the house & pool were filled with her grandchildren & her "waterbabies".
Rickie was predeceased by her parents & her older sister, Gail (Merriman) Adams. She is survived by her best friend & husband of 58 years, PGFD Battalion Fire Chief (ret) William D. "Tex/Billy" Beardmore; her beloved younger sisters Donna Merriman of Jefferson MD & Jamie Behre of Arapahoe NC; her children Shelley (Beardmore) Rusk & husband John of Mooresville NC, Jimmy Beardmore & wife Ruth of Mooresville NC, & PGFD Fire Lieutenant (ret) Jerry Beardmore & wife Tammy of St. Leonard MD. She was a loving grandmother to her four grandchildren who brought such joy & pride to her life: Aimee, Jake, Lucas, & Nate. Rickie is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, & great nieces & nephews.

Visitation will be Saturday December 10, 2022 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM at Rausch Funeral Home, 8325 Mt. Harmony Lane, Owings MD. A Funeral Service will be Sunday December 11, 2022 at 1:00 PM at St. James Parish, 5757 Solomons Island Rd, Lothian MD. A reception will follow in the parish hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Colea Benevolent Fund in Rickie's memory. Checks should be made payable to Prince Georges County Professional Fire Fighters Charitable Foundation, Inc. with "Colea Benevolent Fund" in the memo. Please mail to Prince Georges County Professional Fire Fighters Charitable Foundation, 3060 Mitchellville Rd. Bowie MD 20716. Donations may also be made to St. James Parish, memo: "In memory of Rickie", & these funds will be used during the holiday season to provide for less fortunate members of our community.