Our beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and great-great grandmother passed away Tuesday, January 1, 2019 in Sandy, Utah. She was 88 years old.
Beverly was born May 10, 1930 to Blaine Meakin and Emily May Vance in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the youngest of four children, Robert Blaine, Harold Dwight, Barbara Jeanne, and Beverly May.
When Beverly was born, the Great Depression was just getting started. Fortunately, Blaine worked for the Union Pacific Railroad, which provided a steady income, but the family was still affected by rationing and hardships of the time.
Her mother Emily Meakin had a beautiful voice and her children did too, so singing was a significant part of Beverly\s young life. She was in the Glee Club at South High School and performed across the State singing solo and with the choir. Before High School, she sang with the Omacon Chorus. She had voice lessons from Richard Condie before he conducted the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. She performed with The Victory Revue Bond Show traveling to southeastern Utah in 1945 to raise money for the war. In her early teen years, she was a skater and in 1944 earned a spot and competed with the Champion Roller Skaters of Utah to compete in Detroit, Michigan.
She worked for Dr. Wayne Kimball (1965-1978) as an Office Administrator. She worked in the real estate industry for many years then worked for Federal Express until her retirement in 1995.
Beverly had three significant relationships in her lifetime beginning with marriage to Thomas Manfred Smith at Memorial House in Memory Grove on April 28, 1948. A union that brought five children into the world. During this time Tom ran a successful electrical company and Beverly worked in the home raising children. A new house was built in Holladay in 1954 and a summer cabin in Bear Lake in 1956 that provided the idyllic childhood memories for our family. They divorced in 1968.
On October 3, 1981 Beverly married Alan Franklin Wright at the Unitarian Church in Salt Lake City, Utah. Alan and Beverly enjoyed working, golfing, and boating at Lake Powell on Misty and Squirt. Alan passed away August 6, 1999.
Partner Robert Bowen and Beverly have enjoyed 18 years of travel, activities, and the opportunity to enjoy the \snowbird\ lifestyle living in Saint George in the winter and Salt Lake in the summer. Robert has been by our mother\s side through the past five years of her decline. We appreciate his dedication and love for our mother.
Beverly is survived by her partner Robert E. Bowen; her children Susan Paramore, Deborah Cox (Arthur), Bradley Smith, Robyn MacDuff (Wayne Peay), Douglas Smith; 12 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and four great-great grandchildren.
Preceded in death by her first husband Thomas; her second husband Alan; her mother, father, siblings, a grandson, a granddaughter in-law, and a great grandson.
With deepest gratitude our family wants to acknowledge Wentworth Assisted Living and Memory Care and Brighton Home and Health for the care and love given to our mother over the past three and a half years. And a special thank you to Cori and Ana Maria for holding our mother\s hand as she departed on New Year\s Day.
Please join us in honoring the life and legacy of Beverly. Her funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 12th at 2:00 PM with a public viewing from 1:00 to 1:45 PM all at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 E. Dimple Dell Rd. (10600 S.), Sandy, Utah. The inurnment with graveside service is scheduled for May 10, 2019 at Larkin Sunset Gardens Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers please donate to Macular Degeneration research https://www.brightfocus.org/research/macular-degeneration-research-program or to your favorite charity.
