Beverly Elaine Gookin

Beverly Elaine Gookin, age 77 of Rye, Colorado, passed away on May 25, 2025, peacefully in her home with her family by her side. Beverly was born in Salida, Colorado on May 27, 1947, to Lester and Dorothy Herlyck. Her grandchildren were her whole life. She loved children, and babysat so many children in the valley, worked as a secretary at Rye High School, she was a Sunday School teacher, Boy Scout Leader, and helped with VBS every summer. She loved spending time in the mountains and in her yard.

Beverly is survived by her loving husband of 58 years, Ronald Gookin; her daughter Renee Sanchez, her son Jeff (Christy) Gookin, and her son Clint (Dee) Gookin; her grandchildren, Jonathan Dean Horton, Nicole (Vinicius) Hiratuka, Gina (Josh) Williams, Brandi (Chris Miera) Day, Cody (Samantha) Gookin, Malinda (Aaron) Murray, Bo Gookin, Tyler (Niccole) Harvey, Jesse Gookin, Austin Gookin, and Madison (Donny Sicz) Gookin; her brother Lester (Peg) Herlyck Jr., and her sister Karyn (Terry Johnson) Herlyck, sister-in-law April Drawe, brother-in-law Doyla (Sylvia) Gookin, brother-in-law Bryon (Diana) Gookin; sixteen great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews, extended family, and friends.

She was preceded in passing by her parents Lester Herlyck, Dorothy (George) Hauser; in-laws Ivan and Phyllis Gookin; sister Jeanne du Soleil, sister and brother-in-law Harold and Nadene McCracken, brother-in-law Dale Drawe, sister-in-law Norma Rodman, sister-in-law Ivalene Amidei, nephew David McCracken, and many extended family and friends.

Beverly will be greatly missed by so many that she loved and cared for. She is greatly loved by her husband, her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, her siblings, extended family, and the many friends she touched along her life’s journey. She was a beautiful example of God’s love for other.

Our family would like to express our gratitude to Abode Hospice and the staff that cared for our mom the last few months. Jenah, Sam, Kris, Angela, Jayme, and Melissa were so amazing and treated us and our mom with the utmost respect, kindness, professionalism, and loving care. They helped us through the hardest time in all our lives and made this journey much easier to travel.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to Abode Hospice of Pueblo.

A Celebration of Life Service for Beverly will be held at Pueblo First Church of the Nazarene in Pueblo, Colorado on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at 10:00am. The family would like to invite everyone to a BBQ at Jeff and Christy Gookin’s house at 2:00pm after the service. The address in 6491 Pickney Road, Rye, Colorado. Take Exit 71 off Interstate 25, south of Pueblo.