John Ervin Bearden

John Ervin Bearden, 87, of Seminole, Oklahoma, passed away at his home on March 8, 2026.

Born on October 1, 1938, in Buckeye, Arizona, John was the son of Anderson and Dorothy (Bodine) Bearden. His family later settled in California’s Central Valley, where he graduated from McFarland High School with the Class of 1957. Shortly afterward, he joined the United States Marine Corps. On October 24, 1958, he married Sadie Mae Presley in Delano, California.

John and Sadie lived in Los Angeles County and Orange County before settling in Springville, California, near Sequoia National Monument. After his military service, he began a career in carpentry that grew into a lifelong profession as a construction project manager. Among his proudest accomplishments was overseeing the completion of the event center at the LA Coliseum for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, including preparations for the opening and closing ceremonies and track and field events. In 2015, John and Sadie moved to Seminole.

John was known for his tireless work ethic and his love of projects, whether planning the next or immersed in the current one. He expanded two single-wide homes into a spacious family residence featuring a two-story wing, a garage built into the mountainside, and a beautiful main home with a large kitchen. He later added a barn, animal pens, and lined a pond. Their home became a cherished gathering place for family, especially at Thanksgiving, when relatives would share stories and talk about the weather, a topic John always enjoyed. He had a gift for telling funny stories, joking with loved ones, and helping anyone in need. In his spare time, he farmed and raised goats, chickens, dogs, and cats, and he especially loved fishing with friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

John is survived by his wife of 67 years, Sadie Bearden of Seminole; his son and daughter-in-law, Delbert “Del” and Cindy Bearden of Chandler, Texas; his daughter and son-in-law, Cynthia “Cindy” and Nick Amicone of Ormond Beach, Florida; grandchildren Lindsay Bearden Deshane, Bailey Zinggeler, and Nicholas S. Amicone; great-grandchildren Tayler, Lillian, and Emily; sister and brother-in-law Cheryl and Jim Sutton of Hagerstown, Arkansas; former daughter-in-law and caretaker Lawana Wright; sister-in-law Ann Bearden of Conway, Arkansas; and many other family members and friends.