Beverly Winona Monroe

Lt.Col. Beverly Monroe, USAF, Nurse Corps (retired) died peacefully March 31, 2018 at her Assisted Living Facility in Brandon, Florida. Born on October 26, 1928 in Parsonsfield, Maine, she was the first child of the late Walter and Elsie (Jewett) Monroe. Following her graduation from Porter High School in 1946, Beverly moved to Boston, Massachusetts working as a Nanny prior to entering Peter Bent Brigham Hospital (PBBH) School of Nursing, Boston in September 1947. Successfully earning her Nursing Diploma and Registered Nurse designation September 1950, she worked as a staff and head nurse at PBBH for three years. In October 1953, Beverly took her oath of commission as a First Lieutenant in the Air Force Nurse Corps and started her career at Officer Basic Military Training at Gunter AFB, AL with follow-on assignment as a general duty nurse at the 4167th USAF Hospital, Travis AFB, CA. During her twenty-year career, she enjoyed various stateside (MacDill AFB, FL and Loring AFB, ME) and overseas (Anderson AFB, Guam; Clark AB, Philippines; Thule AB, Greenland and Hickam AFB, HI) assignments. Her duties during those assignments ranged from General Duty Nurse to Chief Nurse. Beverly’s last assignment was as Evening Supervisor, USAF Hospital, MacDill AFB, FL, retiring October 1973. LtCol Monroe’s military awards include the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Presidential Unit Citation ribbon with one oak leaf cluster, the National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star, the Air Force Longevity Award with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and the Air Force Chief Nurse Badge. Bev was a life time member of the Military Officers Association of America, the American Legion (past Vice Commander of a Tampa chapter), an original member of the Society of Air Force Nurse and the Tampa/StPete Chapter. Retiring in the Tampa Bay Area, Bev busied herself buying, renovating and then either renting or selling homes. Bev had many interests including landscaping, gardening, refurnishing furniture, bowling and boating. Additionally, her love of animals led her to volunteer for many years at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. Bev was predeceased by her brother Francis. Internment with Full Military Honors at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL will be held Friday, May 11, 2018 at 11:00 o’clock. If so inclined, donations to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, 3607 N. Armenia Ave, Tampa, FL 33607 in Bev’s memory will support her love of animals. Already, we dearly miss Bev’s friendship and dry wit.