Beverlee (Bev) Ann Brown
June 15, 1939 – April 11, 2010
Beverlee (Bev) Ann Brown, beloved neighbor and friend of many people in Warm Beach, died suddenly while on a trip to Lake Chelan on April 11, 2010 at the age of 70.
She was preceded in death by her partner of 45 years, Barbara Panek, and her parents, Verne Harold and Mildred Mary Brown.
Beverlee is survived by her brother, Walter Brown, of Phoenix, Ariz. She is also survived by Beverly Bacon, Barbara’s sister-in-law, and Pamela, Joseph, Randy and Linda Panek, Barbara’s nieces and nephews who were just like family to Bev. She also leaves her extended family Joan Lambert, Mike Sharp and Hans Hartog, Doug Anderson, and Larry Kinley, as well as close friends and neighbors Jerry and Jennifer Kelly, Debbie Buse, Lori Buse, Lavon Black, Samantha Hicks, Liz Shattuck and Wes Sowa, and Tim and Claudia Teague.
A void has been left in the Soundview Drive neighborhood of Warm Beach.
Born June 15, 1939 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Bev attended Quilchena Elementary School, Point Grey Junior High and Magee High School.
She was a great athlete, playing grass hockey, softball, skiing and bowling.
Her friend Mary Johnson said, “Could she ever pitch!”
She also kept in touch with close friends Jim Ramsey and Owen McCooey.
Bev came to the United States in 1960, and because her mother was a U.S. citizen, Bev had dual citizenship.
She started working for Northwest Airlines in 1961 in Washington, D.C. and came to Seattle a couple years after that where she met longtime partner Barb Panek.
Together they had a wonderful life. While working at Northwest Airlines, they bought a cabin in Darrington and made many great friends in that neck of the woods.
Bev and Barb traveled the world – to Europe, the Orient, South America, Australia, and all over the U.S. and Canada. Their favorite place was Machu Picchu in Peru.
Sometimes they would get off work at Northwest and fly to Japan and Korea for a shopping spree, then back to work the following Monday morning!
Washington, D.C. was also a favorite destination.
Beverlee retired from Northwest Airlines in 1994, two years after Barb, and they moved to Warm Beach from Burien becoming the beloved neighbors of many.
Eventually they sold their Darrington cabin.
She also worked for the U.S. Postal Service from 1997 – 2006 as a rural carrier, casing and delivering mail two or three days a week.
Bev and Barb especially enjoyed their Northwest Airlines “family” always staying in touch and never missing their once a month reunion luncheons.
Beverlee loved a good party — often being first to come and last to leave!
Bev took beautiful pictures of many wonderful Warm Beach sunsets and eagles.
She also loved flowers, especially dahlias and lilies, and gardening of all kinds. She often shared bulbs, starts and cut flowers with friends. Neighbors often commented that her yard looked like a beautiful park.
She also loved animals— especially her silky terriers Dava and Buddy that she and Barb rescued. She loved her adopted cats Georgie Girl and Socks, along with the neighborhood squirrels and birds she regularly fed.
A celebration of Bev’s life will be held with a potluck luncheon, at 18826 Soundview Drive, Stanwood, on June 26, starting at noon.
In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Progressive Animal Welfare (PAWS) Society, Inc. of Lynnwood, PO Box 1037, Lynnwood, WA 98046.
To say Beverlee will be missed is an understatement.
She said it best in her 50th Magee High School Reunion Book: “Life is not about who can reach the grave looking the best. In your demise, you should be looking over your shoulder saying, ‘Woo Hoo! What a ride!’”
She was a wonderful woman and one of those people who made the world and especially the Warm Beach neighborhood, a better, happier place!
We’ll miss you Bev!
