Beverly B. Woolridge

"Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing. And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb. And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance".

-From The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

Beverly Boatman Woolridge passed away on February 13, 2016 at the Columbine West Nursing Home in Fort Collins, CO. She was born near Spencer, Iowa in the home of parents Frank Boatman & Millie Bowen Boatman on December 24, 1923. She was preceded in death by both parents; her daughter, Brenda; and her husband of nearly 60 years, Lee.

Bev grew up on a farm in Iowa with her 2 younger brothers, Rex and Jack. After graduating high school in 1941, Beverly left her family farm to attend the Fort Dodge Business School. In 1942 she joined the war effort by going to work as a steno operator for the Navy Department in Washington DC. She married Lee Daniel Woolridge on November 5, 1943 and moved to North Bend, Oregon where Lee was stationed in the Navy. Bev and Lee had 2 children, Gary Lee born in 1944 and Brenda Lee in 1948.

Bev and Lee stayed in the Oregon area after the war, trying their hand at many adventures which included buying and running a mountain lodge and doing the same with a radiator/truck stop. Bev's life passion was traveling, though, so she with 2 partners opened a travel agency in 1980. Bev specialized in taking tour groups to different parts of the world, such as Morocco, India, Vietnam, to name a few. Her very favorite place to visit and take her tour groups was Israel, which she would visit many times. Lee would accompany Bev on these tours, the two of them exploring the world together, fulfilling Bev's lifelong farm-girl's dream.

In 1992, Bev and Lee's daughter, Brenda, became extremely ill from salmonella poisoning. Enduring 6 agonizing months, with hopes being lifted one day, then dashed the next, many times over with news from the doctors, Bev and Lee never gave up hope and never gave up on their daughter. They cared for her while at home and Bev never left her side while in the hospital. Brenda slipped into a coma and passed away on January 18, 1993. Bev and Lee, although completely crushed by the death of their daughter, stayed strong for Brenda's 2 children Kristi and Kevin whom they continued to raise.

Bev continued to work and travel until suffering her first massive stroke in 2000. She and husband Lee, who was suffering from lung cancer, came to live with their son Gary and his family in Fort Collins, CO in December of 2001. On January 18, 2002, the 9 year anniversary of the passing of her daughter Brenda, Bev lost her loving husband, Lee.

Bev was a strong matriarch of the family who loved to help people achieve their goals. She was adventurous, yet pragmatic and believed complaining about a problem never solved anything. At the age of 92, Bev crossed over, met by the welcoming home and the warm embrace of her beloved husband and daughter.

She is survived by her son, Gary Lee Woolridge & wife Maggie of Fort Collins, CO; 5 grandchildren - Jordi Vollum and wife, Margie of Yokohoma, Japan; Matt Lee Woolridge of Fort Collins, CO; Amy Lee Woolridge-Sunde & husband Eric of Denver, CO; Kristy Snyder Thomas-Ward of Springfield, OR; and Kevin Snyder of Washington; 8 great-grandchildren; brothers Rex Boatman of Waterloo, IA and Jack Boatman of Arnold, MO.

There will be a private family service. Rather than sending flowers, please give to the charity of your choosing in memory of her.