She was born to Samuel Lewis Roberts and Fern Hammond Roberts on May 19, 1938, in Cedar City, Utah. The rumor was that Grandma Roberts and her brother had a race to see who could have a daughter first, and name her Beverly Colleen. Grandma won.
Beverly spent her early years in Nevada and had fun summers with her grandmother, Isabella Hammond, in Pioche, Nevada. Eventually her family moved to Fontana, California. She graduated from Colton High School in 1956, where she was the editor of the school yearbook.
After graduation, Beverly went to BYU to study nursing, graduating with her BSRN in June of 1960. While in her student nursing program at LDS Hospital, she cared for a young returned missionary, Paul Thornley, who was ill with hepatitis. She and Paul got engaged on their second date, and married in June of 1960 in the Los Angeles Temple.
They made their first home in Provo, Utah while Paul attended BYU. Their daughter Tami was born in 1961.
Soon they moved to Riverside, California, where Beverly worked for the Riverside County Health Department. Their family kept growing, as Scott joined the family in 1963, and then Krista in 1968.
In 1969, Beverly and Paul moved to Salt Lake City, to be near Paul's parents, who were having health struggles. Their final child, Steve was born in 1970.
Beverly started working as a school nurse for Granite School District and loved her time there. She was president of the Utah School Nurse Association for multiple terms.
Education was very important to Beverly, and while working full time, she got her master's in Nursing from BYU in 1986. She also made a change in employment. She worked in public health for the Salt Lake County Health Department for over twenty years.
She is survived by her brother, Larry L. Roberts (Eileen), niece Christene Roberts Peterson and family, and nephew Wade Roberts and family, children, Tami (Todd) Reynolds, Scott Thornley, Krista Bentley, and Steven Thornley, as well as 11 grandchildren.
Preceded in death by her parents, and former husband, Paul Thornley.
The family would like to thank the staff of Canyon Creek Senior Living, for their generous and compassionate care of our mother.
A viewing will be held on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, from 12 noon and 1:30 pm at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 S. Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, UT.
Masks are required.
A private family service will follow at 2 pm at the gravesite.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Huntsman Cancer Foundation in Beverly's name to:
Memorial and Honor Program:
Huntsman Cancer Foundation
500 Huntsman Way
Salt Lake City, UT 84108
