Beverly Anne Grove Arbuckle

Beverly grew up in Illinois and later Missouri learning how to churn butter and loving animals at an early age; especially cats (many pictures of her as a child and an adult were taken with one in her arms.)

Her parents, George and Blanche Grove owned and operated a farm in Missouri but later sold it and moved to the Northwest.

Beverly was raised during the Great Depression and learned how to save money very early on; she had special hiding places for spare change like an old Victrola record player. This is where she was able to save enough money to buy herself a doll and some shoes.

Beverly was a hard worker; (she always said she loved to work) starting at an early age. Going to work with her Mother as a preteen opened her eyes to the world of business and the telephone company.

Blanche worked as a phone operator in the early 1940’s when phone calls were connected and disconnected manually by the operator who physically plugged the lines into a huge switchboard connecting and disconnecting callers while locked in a tiny room waiting for “rings”.

Beverly learned so much from her mother’s hard work. This led her to graduate high school early, and enroll in college.

At age 17 Beverly attended the University of Washington; she told her children many years later that when the administrator asked what field of study she wanted to enter Beverly looked up and saw the word “Accounting” at the top of the list and thought, “Why not?”

Beverly Grove worked odd jobs and put herself through school graduating in June of 1950 on a Friday, and marrying the love of her life, Robert Arbuckle, the next day (he had been a serviceman and was attending the University of Washington as well).

After honeymooning in Mexico for a few months, Robert and Beverly came back to Seattle. Robert studied glazing while Beverly worked in Accounting, doing the books of a few local businesses; including the first Black Angus steak house.

The Arbuckles decided to move to the Eastside and opened a glass company, “Arbuckle Glass,” after Robert completed his training. The business was a great partnership between “Bev and Bob”; Beverly ran the front office, did the books, and answered phones while they both raised two young children. Bobby George, (Robert George Arbuckle) was born first, then five years later Gracemarie Arbuckle (now Gracie Mittag) was born.

The Arbuckles believed in traveling as much as possible while raising their children; they knew instinctively this would help educate them about the world and took as many trips as possible. One trip to Europe, was based on a 1960’s election bet between the couple. Dinner was “won” and picked by Robert. His destination of choice? Rome, Italy. After the initial shock wore off, Beverly planned a long vacation with the family to get to Italy via Copenhagen, Denmark, and Vienna Austria, before arriving in Rome. It was a trip of a lifetime for all of them visiting glass blowers and taking in all of the many sites of those countries including the Roman Coliseum, The Vatican and the enormous grounds of Versailles. They enjoyed this trip so much that they returned a few years later and visited Paris, London and Spain witnessing a famous bullfight at the “Plaza De Torres” of Madrid.

In later years their hearts began to belong to the beautiful Hawaiian Islands, visiting many times, during both the Christmas and Easter seasons.

Beverly was a strong force to be reckoned with and a nurturing figure in her family. While raising her children she battled cancer more than once; she lost both of her breasts, her lymph nodes and septum bone. Her doctors told her to prepare for the afterlife; but she told them she had children to raise and fought through sickness daily for many years. She outlived all of those doctors, and when Fred Hutchison Cancer Institute was formed in Seattle the group of doctors there wanted to study Beverly and see how she overcame such a grim prognosis. In later years, Beverly battled cancer once again. This time modern medicine and her everlasting drive to live for her children gave her the opportunity to “beat it” for the last time.

After her children were raised Beverly and Robert did not dwell on “empty nesting”’. They chose instead to sell their glass company and move to Hollywood Florida. They learned how to make custom mirrored furniture like coffee tables, end tables and other decorative pieces while still enjoying some time in the sun. But, the Arbuckles missed their beloved West Coast. Finding an opportunity to move, they left Florida and moved to Escondido California where their son Robert (Bob) came to live and be schooled by Robert in the glazing business.

Within four to five years Beverly told Robert she missed the Northwest. She missed Fredrick and Nelson, and knowing where things were in her hometown.

They moved back to Bellevue and Robert soon retired.

Meanwhile, Beverly had been taking a few college classes in California and started to teach Accounting to adults there at the local community college.

After the couple moved back to the Northwest, Beverly continued to teach Accounting at Renton Vocational Technical College and work privately for small businesses that needed her help with Accounting.

One of the couple’s greatest joys was welcoming their two grandchildren into the world; first Maile in 1991, then Jake in 1993. They would help babysit when Gracie went off to work in the afternoon and Lynn would get home from his long day in the restaurant business as a Chef and General Manager.

Unfortunately Beverly developed dementia; her mind slowly deteriorating over many many years. It became a losing battle after Robert passed away in December of 2004. Beverly had to be moved into assisted living and, unfortunately, continued to decline over many long and tough years.

The family would like to thank all of the wonderful caregivers that took great care of Beverly during times when she would be disoriented, angry, ill and lost; but once again Beverly did not give up without a fight!

One of Beverly’s closest cousin’s, Margaret Musgrove, would coincidentally be moved to the same nursing home and reside across the hall from Beverly for the last part of their lives. As they say, “Coincidence is God’s way of remaining Anonymous” and having Margaret across the hall from Beverly gave the family much needed peace. Margaret passed away in July, after the nursing home they both resided in was closed. Beverly was moved to the Renton Care Center and quickly declined.

On the morning of November 11, 2014 Beverly passed away. She was preceded in death by George Grove (father, 1960) and Blanche Guy Grove (mother, 1975)".

The nurses said she had been talking to someone, and carrying on a long conversation. Frankly, her family thinks it was Margaret who came down to get her, along with her mother Blanche and husband Robert, but whatever the case her spirit did find her way. In her passing she has regained herself, her beloved husband, her mother, and has found her way Home.

Beverly’s family wishes to thank you all for all of your love and support.

May we all find our way Home to God and let go of all the negative energy that is unnecessary to hang on to.

Knowing that Beverly has found her way, once again, will give the family much relief in the days ahead without her.