Beatrice Mary (nee Westphal) Herr Beaver, local artist, passed away Dec. 13, 2023 at the Gardens at Ridgestone in Elkhorn, where she had been a resident for five years. She was born in Milwaukee on Sept. 26, 1935 and attended St. Alexander’s Catholic School. She graduated from Pius XI High School in 1953.
Bea was a gifted painter, jeweler and mixed media artist. She graduated from Layton School of Art in Milwaukee, which is now MIAD, in 1959 with a B.F.A. She exhibited throughout the Midwest and won many awards for her artwork.
Bea was the Art Director at Jewish Vocational Services and worked with mentally challenged children there prior to moving to Waterford in 1962.
Bea started and co-owned Art Independent Gallery, 706 Main St., Lake Geneva which showcased hundreds of Midwestern artists from 1968-1976 with her former husband and studied costume design and computer-generated art at UW-Whitewater in 1986.
She married current husband, Clinton R. Beaver, Jr., of Clemson, South Carolina in 1995 in Williams Bay where she also had a studio behind her home in Loch Vista.
Bea worked as the store director at Winona Knits, Lake Geneva and retired in 2000, participating in many art shows after that with emphasis being on her jewelry.
Her love of art was something that she eagerly shared with all of her grandchildren. She loved flowers and plants and had an exceptional green thumb. Bea had the unique ability to be able to read five books simultaneously and enjoyed doing crossword puzzles and winning at Scrabble. She loved spending time with her family and beloved pets. She was a great cook with her signature spaghetti and cheese and crackers, lemon meringue pie, poppy seed torte, and buttery grilled cheese sandwiches. When asked what she was most proud of she always responded, “my children.”
The family is grateful for the excellent care by the staff at Ridgestone and by St. Croix Hospice. She will be greatly missed by her family and her aides at Ridgestone.
Beatrice is survived by husband, Clinton R. Beaver, Jr. of Clemson, South Carolina; brother Gordon (Kathleen) Westphal of Oconomowoc; daughter Gretchen (Mark) Kitzman of Lake Geneva; son Kurt (Darlene) Herr of Burlington; son Eric (Kathleen) Herr of Burlington; daughter Kimberly (Michael) Moss of South Carolina, daughter Colleen (Brian) Romero of South Carolina; niece Roxanne (Jeff) Peelen; nephew Michael (Susan) Westphal; grandchildren Nichole Thomas, Kristina Rolander Avery, Nicholas (Jessica) Herr, Amanda (Ryan) Brooks, Chelsea (Harry) Rutz, Natasha (Seth) Schulte, Kayleigh Kitzman, Shayna (Dustin) Lang, Holden Sysock, and Delena Moss; as well as thirteen great grandchildren Alexuz Thomas, Maximus Thomas, Julien Avery, Vera Avery, Kiera Herr, Clayton Herr, Owen Hoffman, Vivian Hoffman, Sophie Rutz, Cole Rutz, Ethan Schulte, Logan Schulte, and Elora Schulte.
She was preceded in death by siblings William Westphal and Rita Mae Westphal and by her parents Roman “Ray” Bernard Westphal and Mayme (Sadowski) Westphal.
Visitation will be held at Lazarczyk Funeral Home, 515 Center St., Lake Geneva on Wednesday March 20, 2024 from 5 to 7 p.m. There will be a funeral Mass at St. Patrick’s Parish, 107 Walworth St., Elkhorn on Thursday March 21, 2024 at 10:30 a.m., with a private burial to follow.
Lazarczyk Family Funeral Homes of Lake Geneva is proudly serving the family.
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