Beverly Ann Vaitkus

Beverly Ann Vaitkus (nee Krolikowski) was born on January 16, 1956 in Wyandotte, Michigan to parents Robert (Bob) and Irene Krolikowski. She grew up in the tight-knit Polish community of Wyandotte and graduated from Mount Carmel High School. Beverly went on to Michigan State University where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Dietetics. Completing an internship at The Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, she went on to serve on oncology units at Harper Hospital and thence the Boston VA Medical Center where she met her future husband. Subsequently her career led her into clinical research in pharmaceutical development.

Beverly was known for her optimism, sharp wit, ready humor, and athletic prowess. She was an excellent softball player in high school. With her husband she cross-country skied, hiked, backpacked, snorkeled, and sea kayaked. She enjoyed traveling the world and visited five of the seven continents. Beverly became an accomplished photographer. Her interests were wide and varied, ranging from live theater, symphony, major-league sports, excavating dinosaurs, and beating the casinos. She had loved her dogs, Brock and Blaze.

Beverly was also an ardent supporter of veterans’ affairs because of the extensive service by members of her family. She was a long-time member of the VFW and American Legion and contributed to veterans’ causes in many ways, always quietly and without fanfare. Wherever she was, she readily befriended many. She organized outings to Fenway Park, girls’ weekends, and other social excursions too numerous to enumerate.

She was particularly loved by her family, both her siblings and cousins by birth, and her husband’s extended family. She was a favorite of her nieces, grand nieces and nephews, and many other youngsters, children of her friends, many of whom she “adopted” and called herself “Ciocia Beverly.” She was a genuine cancer battler. Diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2005, she ultimately succumbed to this disease. She never complained and tolerated the miseries of multiple rounds of chemotherapy stoically.

She is survived by her four dear siblings: Ronald, Rhonda (John Herczak), Anita, and Keith. She leaves behind her loving husband, Dr. Paul Vaitkus. Also numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, and grand nieces and nephews.

Dr. Vaitkus requests that the money that might otherwise be spent on flowers would be better contributed to Beverly’s preferred charity, “Harley Helping Hands” which provides assistance to those grappling with brain cancer.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MarshFuneralHome.com for the Vaitkus family.