Mr. Earl L. Bethard, 88, of 16 Edgewood Court, Columbiana, Ohio, passed away at 12:45 p.m. at the Mahoning Valley Hospital in Youngstown, on Wednesday, July 19, 2006. Earl was born on August 12, 1917 in Roxabel, Ohio, the son of Orville and Cora Williams Bethard. Earl moved to the local area in 1950, from Lancaster, Ohio. He worked for Allied Mills & Wayne Feed store of Columbiana for three years as manager and then worked for Columbiana Milling and Supply who bought out Sunshine Feeds until 1968, he then began working at Franklin Furniture in 1982 as a millroom worker. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Columbiana, a graduate of Leesburg, Ohio High School and served from 1943-1946 in the armed forces in W.W. II in the Marine Corp. in the South Pacific, 10th Artillery Regiment, 2nd Marine division, and saw action at Tinian. Earl was also a life-member of American Legion Benjamin Firestone, Post 290 of Columbiana, where he served as a past commander. He also was a life-long member of the V.F.W. Post #5532 of Washingtonville, Fairfield Ruritan Club, the Columbiana Rose Society and the UCT Salem Branch. He volunteered with the Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels for 12 years and volumteered for the American Red Cross. Mr. Bethard was preceded in death by one brother, Clark Bethard of Birmingham, AL. He is survived by his wife Margery C. Anderson Bethard, whom he married May 4, 1940. He also leaves several nieces and nephews. Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, July 24, 2006 at the Seederly-Mong & Beck Funeral Home in Columbiana with Pastor Steven K. Brown officiating. Visiting hours will be Sunday, July 23, from 7-9 p.m.; friends may also call one hour prior to the service Monday, July 24, 2006 at the Seederly-Mong & Beck Funeral Home in Columbiana. Burial will be in Columbiana Cemetery where the American Legion Benjamin Firestone Post #290 will conduct a military honor service. Family suggests that material tributes may be made to the American Heart Association.