Beverley Ann Kole

Beverley (nee Beverly) Ann Hull was born in Glasgow, Montana to parents William R. and Mary A. (Olsen) Hull on May 17th, 1936. She was sister to Richard. In a period just following the Great Depression, when Beverley was a very young girl, her family lived in North Philipsburg, Granite, Montana. They lived in a single-room house with only a coal heater in the middle of the room. Her father paid 5 dollars a month rent for the house and earned 200 dollars total for the year working for the emergency Government Works projects during the depression. Much of their sustenance came from rabbits that her father hunted. Beverley attended grade school in Spokane, WA and she graduated from Chas F. Adams High School in Clarkston, WA in 1954. She was recognized early on as an exceptionally bright and focused student. Beverley was a gifted violinist and musician and was a talented visual artist as well. She also attended modeling school. She was awarded the Washington State Art Award for High School Students; she was offered an art Scholarship to the University of Wisconsin for 16 paintings made in oil, charcoal, and watercolor. It was said by an instructor that Beverley could have been the next Claude Monet or Paul Cezanne.

Following high school graduation in 1954, instead of following the visual art education path in Wisconsin, Beverley pursued a pre-nursing degree at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington. She was awarded a $1,000. music scholarship to Whitworth. She also received the 1st Violinist Concert Mistress position of Whitworth Symphony. Beverley was one of four students selected to play with Spokane Symphony Orchestra. In 1959, Beverly earned her Registered Nursing Diploma from Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in Spokane. Following the receipt of pre-nursing degree from Whitworth in 1959, Beverley went to school at the University of Oregon School of Nursing in Portland, OR, ultimately receiving her Bachelor Degree of Science in Nursing in 1961. While at the University of Oregon, Beverley served as President of the Elnora Thompson Association. In 1970 she was named one of the Outstanding Young Women of America.

Beverley continued to educate herself throughout her life and earned countless continuing education credits in the areas of sociology, psychology, health education, crisis intervention, community health nursing, and child abuse prevention. She went on to serve as guest lecturer and keynote speaker at workshops and forums related to the advocacy of women and children and seminars focusing on child abuse and neglect and violence in the home.

Beverley lived a life of service to her fellow human beings and she served in ways too many to number. In her professional life, Beverley worked as ward supervisor at Dammasch State Mental Hospital in Wilsonville, OR. At Dammasch, Beverley made it her mission to discover the specific underlying medical causes that contributed to the mental health issues of each and every patient she served. She did a lot of “thinking outside of the box” during this time and this led to the sometimes miraculous improvement of the lives and overall mental health states of many patients at that hospital. Later Beverley served as a charge nurse at a satellite location of Oregon State Hospital located at Holladay Park Hospital in Northeast Portland, OR. Beverley also served as a union steward parallel to her time of service as a charge nurse at Holladay Park Hospital. Beverley was proud of her nursing community and ability to create positive change in people’s lives. She maintained lifelong friendships with the nursing students she graduated with and attended reunions for half a century following graduation.

During her time of service as a medical nurse, Beverley’s main thrust and drive was to serve as an advocate for abused and neglected children. She was also an advocate for women and helped form a parenting class at the Morrison Center in Portland. In 1973, she was part of a 5 person panel who founded Parents Anonymous NW of Oregon at Waverly Children’s Home. In 1984, she founded the Parents Anonymous chapter of Milwaukie, Oregon. From 1979-1984, Beverly served as the Chairman of Clackamas County Battered Women’s Center.

In addition to her advocacy for vulnerable women and children, Beverley was a lifelong volunteer and missionary worker for numerous organizations. She served as a church camp nurse and later a Girl Scouts volunteer registered nurse and health educator. From 1962-63, she volunteered as an RN for the Fellowship of the Concerned in the Panama Canal Zone. It was there that she helped set up primitive clinics for immunization, wound care, baby care, for Panamanian Indians, Spanish, and Jamaican peoples. From 1965-66, in Clackamas County, OR, she served as a camp counselor and nurse for a youth care facility devoted to the care of delinquent or mentally disturbed youth. From 1963-1966, Beverly was a member of the California Flying Samaritans. She worked with teams to set up medical clinics on the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico serving a medically and socially impoverished population. She provided wound care, immunizations, care for the ill, and family planning, all in very primitive surroundings. In 1968, she helped found Vacation Samaritans of San Diego. This group sponsored church camps for youth and adults throughout the world. She helped with the establishment of nursing care outreach programs and clinics and took care of medical/emergency needs of staff and those of the respective population. She attended camps in many parts of Baja, CA as well as Panama, Tigre Island, and Indian reservations in Toppenish and Yakima, WA.

Not only was Beverley a lifelong volunteer, she served as a Commissioned Captain in the US Army Reserves from 1975 to 1983 headquartered at the 45th station hospital in Vancouver, WA.

It has been said that Beverley was “Mom to the World”. She took in numerous foster children throughout the years. Beverley loved people of all races, social classes and age. She devoted her life to helping others embrace a better life whether it be an abused child, unwed mother, foreign immigrant, severely disabled or diseased person, the homeless, the mentally ill, veteran, or those stricken by poverty or illness. She was a healer and mother to many people throughout her life. She lived with compassion, caring, non- judgment of others, and pure love. Beverley cared about people from all walks of life. She truly and humbly lived her Christian faith through her actions and relationships, quietly guided by love, compassion and acceptance. Beverley gave others hope and faith in times of illness, struggle, and need.

Beverley loved art and music and continued to create and share stunning painted visual images throughout her life. She loved to dance and sing and play her violin and mandolin but her favorite way to express her love for life was to just laugh. As a nurse, Beverley was well aware of the therapeutic value of laughter. She had a great interest in politics and social issues. Beverley had a love for nature, children and animals. She loved her family and her friends more than anything. Beverley loved her home; it was a welcoming, comforting place where family and friends dropped by for over 40 years. It was such a blessing that Beverley was able to live and remain in her home up until the end of her life.

Beverley had an outstanding sense of humor and was always there for anyone enduring difficult times. Beverley offered a sympathetic ear, wise words of healing and support, a shoulder to weep upon, and she had an incredibly comforting hug. Her capacity to love was huge as was her capacity to give and to heal. Beverley will be remembered as someone who brought people together. She was a nurturer and was someone who cared deeply for others. She was dependable, loyal, strong, resilient, and she persevered in times of great challenge. Beverley was a mentor and an encouraging, empowering soul to so many. She truly led by example. Beverley opened her home to those in need. She fed the hungry, nursed wounds, and was a mother figure to all.

Beverley will also be remembered as a very intelligent woman who remained curious for her entire life. She was a lifelong learner who loved reading. She perpetually sought enrichment and learning. Beverley loved to share knowledge and experiences and deeply connect with people. She loved to cook for others and entertain in her home. It has been said that Beverley was “always up for a good time” and liked to have fun and celebrate just being alive. Beverley was a dynamic, colorful character and she loved to stand out in the crowd in her bright, kinetic, lively colored clothing, jewelry and hair. She was proud of her Scottish heritage and took great interest in genealogy.

A favorite destination for Beverley was the Oregon Coast, particularly Lincoln City and her haven away from home that she had near the Siletz Bay.

Beverley is predeceased by her parents William and Mary Hull; former husband, Delbert Kole; daughter, Tavita Kole; brother, Richard Ford; nephew, Richard Ford Jr., niece, Shelly Ford; Aunt, Lundina Lash; and cousin, Wayne Lloyd Lash.

Beverley is survived by her son, Kurtis Kole (Patty); Daughters Rebecca Kole, Debra Rose, and Kaye Lynn Plank; niece, Cindy Moss (hus. Ray, son, Casey); second cousin, Mary Christiansen; and many “adopted” family members and friends.

A Funeral Service and Graveside Committal will be held at Skyline Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home, 4101 NW Skyline Blvd., Portland, OR, on Saturday, October 11, 2014. Visitation will be held from 12pm - 1pm in Skyline Chapel prior to the ceremony.

Beverley will be privately laid to rest in Skyline Memorial Gardens in the garden of the Nativity.

Please visit the guestbook portion of this site and enter a special message or memory.

Arrangements under the direction of Skyline Memorial Gardens Funeral Home of Portland, OR.