Bertha Beatriz Egan

Bea Egan, born Bertha Beatriz Aguirre, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on March 3, 2025. Known affectionately as Mom, Madre, G-ma, Ama, GG, Arthur, Nurse Bea, Nursie, and "Phenom," she was a uniquely wonderful human being, who filled this world with so much love, light, and humor.

Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, she was a proud Austin High School alumna, attending decades of high school reunions. Bea was the first in her family to attend college, graduating from Texas Woman's University with her bachelor’s in nursing in 1964, just five days before the birth of her first child, Cari. With her newborn in tow, Bea moved to Guam with her then husband Michael Simpson to fulfill his Air Force commitments. They returned to Galveston in 1967, where they welcomed the birth of their second daughter, Jana. In 1969, Bea made her final move back to El Paso, where she had her third child, Eric. Despite the challenges of raising three children as a single mother and working 2–3 jobs at once to make ends meet, she never let her light dim as she smiled her way through it all.

Bea truly found her calling as the school nurse while at Bowie High School. She became a pillar of support for students facing significant challenges, treating each one with unwavering compassion. She made many of her lifelong friends there. After more than 10 years at Bowie, she moved to Guillen Middle School where she continued to make an impact. She retired from the school district and began her teaching career in 2000, where she became a nurse educator at El Paso Community College and then Doña Ana Community College in Las Cruces. She retired at age 80 due to the COVID pandemic.

Bea was a friend to all she met. She will be remembered for her boundless energy, contagious laugh, radiant optimism, and unwavering generosity. Bea embraced life through cooking for her family and friends, hosting parties for any occasion, and exploring the world with her family. She enjoyed attending St. Pius Catholic Church where Father Arturo’s homallies provided her spiritual uplifting. She embodied the power of unconditional love and self-sacrifice, leaving a legacy that will continue to inspire her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bertha and Alfonso Aguirre, sister Mary Louise Cabral, and cousin Yvonne Ochoterena. She leaves a host of loved ones, friends, and family who will cherish her memory forever: Bea’s best friend and sister, Margarita Mendoza, brother-in-law, Noni Mendoza, loving children Cari Meggyesy, Jana Simpson and her husband Rodney Phillips, Eric Simpson and his wife Amy Simpson, cherished grandchildren Malia Meggyesy and her husband Keith Thompson, Kennedy and Elizabeth Meggyesy, Danielle Phillips, Maya and Owen Simpson, and precious great-grandbabies, Michael and Abigail Thompson, nieces, nephews, and her beloved Kodi, the fluffy bichon.

We owe a debt of gratitude to her caregivers, especially Monica Romero, the ALS Association, Team Gleason, and the medical team at the Texas Tech ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic who provided her with exceptional expertise and compassionate support. In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to Team Gleason. Team Gleason provides technology, equipment and services for people living with ALS (teamgleason.org)