Beverly Joan Dudley

Beverly Joan Dudley passed away January 27, 2018 at the age of 86 in Everett, Washington with 3 of her grandchildren by her side. Beverly was born January 15, 1932 in Pasadena, California to Paul Edward and Pearl Ann Showalter. She graduated in January of 1949 from Alhambra High School and attended the University of California at Berkeley until her marriage to John Haller Dudley on June 27, 1952. She continued her education at California State University San Bernardino where she earned a teaching credential. Beverly and John arrived in Victorville, California days after their wedding where John began his 38-year career as a teacher and coach at Victor Valley High School. She held various part-time jobs including secretary for Clyde Tatum, substitute teacher, and Welcome Wagon hostess. The job she loved most was teaching tole and decorative painting from her home. She and John were members of Armstrong United Methodist Church.

Beverly was an active member of many clubs throughout the Victor Valley for all of the 64 years she was a resident. As a member of Victor Valley Junior Women’s club she held many leadership roles, including local and area president and was awarded Girl, Woman and Citizen of the Year for the San Bernardino District. During her tenure as president, her proudest chairmanship was of the committee that built Center Street Park in Victorville, her involvement in the creation of Center Street Park is featured in Mohahve VI published by the Mohahve Historical Society. In 1963 Beverly and her good friend Dorothy Kling started the Victorville Whirlwinds 4-H Club. She continued as Community Leader for 12 years and all of her children held leadership roles in the club. She was awarded Citizen of ’76 for “exemplifying the spirit of volunteerism” in her work with both the Jr. Women’s Club and 4-H. Beverly moved on to the Victor Valley Woman’s Club where she worked on innumerable projects over 50 years. In addition, she was a board member and president of the Mojave Zoological Association, spear-headed the Memorial Grove at the Mojave Narrows, served as landscape chairman for the Victor Valley Museum, and was president of Friends of the Botanical Gardens, during which time she wrote “Garden Tips” for the local paper. She completed 15 projects over 15 years for Victor Valley College and was honored by the Victor Valley College Foundation for her work on the Pearl Pettis pavilion and the Memorial Rose Garden. She was a board member and president of the San Bernardino County Regional Parks Foundation and in 1992 won the Outstanding Layman Service Award. Until she left the community she was involved in S.W.I.M. (Seniors With Inquiring Minds), the Retired Teachers Association, Victor Valley Historical Society and Hesperia Garden Club.

She had innumerable hobbies over the years including sewing, gardening, tole-painting, and creating miniature rooms and scene displays, winning awards at many fairs and shows in all of these areas. She was a prolific artist, a member of the Desert Quail Tolers and California Rosemaling Association. She had the honor of displaying a Christmas ornament on one of the trees at the Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C.

Beverly and John loved to travel, the family camped whenever possible taking three road trips around the country and into Canada and a trip to Alaska, seeing almost all 50 states. In later years she and John participated in Elder Hostel programs around the country and the world. They celebrated their 25th anniversary in Hawaii, traveled throughout Europe and went to Egypt, John’s favorite trip.

Beverly is survived by her five children: Mary Ann Christy and her husband Gene of Apple Valley, CA, Donald Alan Dudley and his wife Romaine of El Cajon, CA, Suzanne Farris and her husband Sam of Franklin, TN, Juliann Meyer and her husband Charles of Snohomish, WA , and Leiann Ramezany of San Jose, CA as well as her brother Paul E. Showalter II and his wife Nolene of San Gabriel, CA. She leaves behind 17 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, John H. Dudley.

Beverly and John’s ashes will be buried alongside their families at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California. There will be a dedication of a memorial bench at Center Street Park in Victorville, California in March to honor Beverly. Donations in her memory can be made to the John and Beverly Dudley Memorial Scholarship Fund at http://www.vvcfoundation.com under Memorial & Tribute Gifts. Condolences and memories may be left here, or be sent to [email protected].