Beryl Richards Colbourn

Mrs. Beryl Colbourn, 98, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away on August 26, 2026, at her home in The Mayflower in Winter Park, Florida. She is survived by her daughters, Kit (Brian) and Elin (Mark), grandchildren Max, Gwen, Morgan, and Evan, as well as great-grandchildren Samuel and Ella.

Born and raised in the Rhondda Valley in Wales, Beryl was the daughter of John William Evans and Elizabeth Anne Evans. She attended primary school in Tonypandy, Wales, and earned a degree in geography from the University of London, Exeter. She worked at Harrod’s in London before traveling by steamship to the United States where she married her fiancé, Trevor Colbourn. At first, they lived in Baltimore as Trevor pursued a graduate degree in American history. Two years after they married, Beryl won a Glamour magazine contest for the girl with the best taste, earning a tour of post-war Europe, a new wardrobe and a cover appearance on the magazine.

Beryl held several jobs as they moved from Baltimore to State College, PA, and then to Bloomington, Indiana, including positions at a bank and a psychiatric hospital, while also embracing the many responsibilities that came with life as the spouse of an academic, before daughters Kit and Elin came along. The family moved to Durham, New Hampshire where she was active in the League of Women Voters and with the New Hampshire League of Craftsmen as well as continuing her work as a mother and a full partner in Trevor's professional journey and accomplishments. She later became a travel agent and then a real estate agent while they lived in San Diego. Her final move was to Central Florida where she supported Trevor’s work as President of the University of Central Florida (UCF). She was inducted into the UCF Women's Club Hall of Fame and was a founding member of UCF's Town & Gown Council.

Beryl played piano and organ. She loved to garden, travel, and read, and was a skilled embroiderer. She was actively engaged in political and charitable organizations, believed deeply in the power of education, both formal and informal, and was a native Welsh speaker and fiercely proud Welshwoman. She passed that pride, determination and set of values, along with so much more, to her daughters.

“To be born Welsh is to be born privileged. Not with a silver spoon in your mouth, but music in your blood and poetry in your soul…” - Brian Harris

A memorial service will be held at The Mayflower (Duxbury Hall) at 3 pm on Saturday, October 10, 2026.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to any of the following:

Beryl Colbourn Scholarship at UCF (needs-based scholarship to assist students with study abroad opportunities): www.foundation.ucf.edu/donation-pages/in-memory-beryl-r.colbourn

Doctors Without Borders https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org

Mayflower Education Fund: Checks should be made payable to Mayflower Retirement Center (memo section should read Education Fund) and sent to 1620 Mayflower Ct., Winter Park, FL 32792. www.themayflower.com/support