Beverly A. Engelbrecht

In Bev’s own words, “I was born on March 31, 1937 on a farm in rural McHenry, the fifth of ten children born to Wates and Irma (Ashbaugh) Harvell. I attended school in Crystal Lake when Husman was the only public grade school in town. Life with so many siblings was always busy and hectic. Mom was busy with daily life but still had time for each of us. Like many families of the time, Mom stayed home with the chores while Dad provided for the family. Money was always tight; we operated on a rotating system for shoe buying. Someone always seemed to need shoes. I graduated from Crystal Lake Central High School and on August 6, 1955 married my best friend and the guy who kept me happy, Dave Engelbrecht.

“Our lives had the usual ups and downs of course, but the ups far outweighed the downs. Here I am, 68 years later, writing about the family life we shared. Dave loved to travel, so we saw a lot of the country, sometimes as a family and later just the two of us. There was a dude ranch, caves, watching the bears feed in Wisconsin, Disney with our kids, as well as several cruise trips. In all, Dave and I traveled to 46 states including Hawaii and Alaska, as well as Mexico and Canada. Not bad for a gal who was really not cut out to travel. My personal favorite was Hawaii; we went there three times.

“I guess I picked up the caring gene from my mom. Over the years, I assisted in the care of my grandfather, parents, mother-in-law, and several siblings. For 13 years, Dave and I made sure my brother Jack got the help he needed. I lovingly cared for Dave during his final illness of five years duration. He left me shortly before 55 years of marriage.

“An avid birdwatcher, reader, worker in various types of needlework, doer of word puzzles, and in younger years, Dave and I enjoyed hiking close to home, or on vacation we liked to be out there with nature. Auto racing was also an enjoyed pastime, specifically Jeff Gordon, driver for Nascar. But most of all, we enjoyed our kids and grandkids, and now for me, great grandkids.”

Bev is survived by her daughter Deb (Mark) McLaren and son David (Meredith) Engelbrecht; grandchildren Heather (Ian Magargee) McLaren, Ryan (Maria) McLaren, Amelia (Daniel) Allen, Madeleine Hurley née Engelbrecht, John (Cassidy) Engelbrecht, and Henry (Madelyne) Engelbrecht; great grandchildren Iris and David Allen; Margot and Connor McLaren; Ezekiel and Rhema Engelbrecht; Obadiah Engelbrecht; sisters Toni (Ray) Buzbee; Tess Tipton; many dear nieces, nephews, and siblings-in-law; and lifelong friend Wilma Rossman.

Bev was preceded in death by beloved husband Dave in 2010, her parents and parents-in-law; a sister in infancy; sister Linda Deates; brothers Lee and Jack Harvel; and sisters and their spouses: Mel and Don Lang, Betty and Ray Anderson, and Sharry and Jim Sherman; and brothers-in-law Jim Engelbrecht and Larry Tipton.

A visitation for Bev will be held Tuesday, January 2, 2024 from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. at Querhammer & Flagg Funeral Home, 500 W Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014, with a funeral service at 7:00 P.M. Donations can be made in Bev’s honor to Dementia Society or McHenry County Conservation District.