Catherine I Bevan

Catherine (Kay) Irene Bevan, age 88, died peacefully the morning of December 16th, 2021 in Tucson, Arizona. Kay was born on December 4, 1933 to John and Agnes Dimenn in Chicago, Illinois. She married John Victor Bevan in 1953 and they moved to Tucson on July 4, 1961. She was an elementary schoolteacher in Flowing Wells for 27 years. Upon retirement in 1989 Kay and John moved to Sonoita.

Kay was diagnosed with stage IIIC ovarian cancer in 1992 which would have been terminal for most women, but Kay was a survivor which she attributed to natural non-toxic medicine including shark cartilage. She went on to be active in the cancer support community for most of her life. In 1999 she and John published a book, Learning to Love My Cancer: How a Silent Killer Became a Prescription for Living.

Kay loved the mountains, the Sonoita Valley and summer trips to the California coast. While she and John never had children of their own, she had a maternal spirit which could always be felt in how she interacted with children including her students and her two nieces. She also cared for a menagerie of rescued pets over the years including cats (Char, Kitten, Blanco, Judy and Sadie), dogs (Misty, Coco and Buddy) and at least one infamous boa constrictor. All who knew Kay would agree that she always did her best to care for the earth, animals, her family, friends and pets. Her life made the world a better place and she will be greatly missed.

Kay Bevan is preceded in death by her parents, her brother Alan John Dimenn and her husband John Victor Bevan. She is survived by her two nieces Sue (William) Dimenn Deigaard and Kerria (Jeremy) Dimenn Pollard; two great nieces Audrey Catherine Deigaard and Adele Elizabeth “Ty” Deigaard, former sister-in-law Jacqueline Morgan, and many friends including Weston Barrios and Leilani Rothrock.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in Kay’s memory be sent to the Santa Cruz County Humane Society, 232 East Patagonia Highway 82, Nogales AZ 85621.