BEVERLY D. BROWN OBITUARY

Beverly Doris Brown (Katz), passed away peacefully on 12/09/2024, in her home at Santa Maria Terrace.  She was 96 years old.
Beverly was born August 11, 1928 in Los Angeles, California to parents, Bertha and Sam Katz.  In her family, Beverly was first generation American as her parents were born in Russia and Romania, respectively.  As a young person, her family nicknamed her "Bobby."  She was raised in Los Angeles, and lived most of her adult life in various areas within and around Los Angeles County.

Throughout childhood and well into adulthood, parents Sam and Bertha owned and operated a 'mom-and-pop' drug store, with "Daddy" as the pharmacist (referred to as a "druggist" back then).  Beverly graduated from Los Angeles High School and later attended LA State College, University of California Berkeley, and graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where she earned a Bachelor's degree and teaching credential.

"DEAR DIARY"

During high school, Beverly kept 2 diaries in 1944 and 1945 about her junior and senior high school years, in which she described family, high school, and social life.  An extremely sociable, friendly and outgoing teenager, Beverly had a great many friends and acquaintances during her youth and into adulthood. She belonged to various clubs and organizations, such as Jobs Daughters –  because mother Bertha was an active member and leader in the organization, Eastern Star.  During senior year, Beverly was crowned with the high honor as "Queen" of Jobs Daughters. She was also active with B'nai B'rith, to which "Mother" gifted her eldest daughter a life-long membership.  Dances, picnics, ceremonies, teas and parties (put on by students and also various organizations, such as DeMolay) were chronicled in her high school diary; social events and gatherings occurred as often as weekly.  Boys were called "fellas;" and "swell" was the common word used to describe something or someone as well-regarded.  Thus, many of the fellas were swell as were many friends, teachers, and experiences.  On any given evening, if there was a gathering, or double/triple dating, sometimes Beverly and a group of kids would pile altogether (there were no seatbelts back then) into a single vehicle and go driving; sometimes looking for a place to eat; or they would just drive up and down the Hollywood Hills of L.A.  There seemed no curfews existed, as she recorded getting home as late as 1-3:00am regardless of whether there was school the next day.  Sometimes, though, she did write "Mother did not look happy" about the late hour.

FAMILY

Growing up in a close-knit extended family, "Mother" had 5 sisters who mostly lived nearby.  Beverly enjoyed sharing family time with her "Aunties," as they were called.  They often spent time at one another's homes for lunches, dinners, holidays, and would stay up late playing card games, such as poker and gin rummy, well into the night.  Often, she and "Lu", as baby sister Cindy was called at that time, would have sleepovers often at their grandparents' home.  Beverly was particularly close with her "Auntie Betty," who often took her shopping and to movies – sometimes even skipping school.

Beverly was close with first cousin, Beatrice whom everyone called "Cookie." She and Cookie would often go bowling, double-date, or hang out together.  They enjoyed music, playing piano together and making up songs.  She and Cookie composed a beloved song, which Beverly often sang to daughter Annie, "A Little Bit West of Heaven" which Annie sang at Beverly's memorial service.

Beverly possessed a romantic nature.  In her diary she wrote a lot about various high school crushes. She enjoyed lifetime love of romance movies that had strong, handsome, masculine characters such as John Wayne, Robert Taylor, Alan Ladd and Donald O'Connor -- popular actors during that time.  As as adult, she always was drawn to romance-based novels and enjoyed a good mystery.

MARRIAGE, MOVING AND CHILDREN

As a person who valued companionship, Beverly married 4 times.  Her first marriage was at age 20 to Milton Katz who fathered their children, Adrienne, Jeff and Annie.  After the wedding, her college education was interrupted by being a homemaker and caring for their children.  Milton and she divorced when Beverly was 32.  She and the children moved back to LA where she resumed her education and worked to support her family.  Beverly next married to Leon Brown and all moved to San Pedro.  Though Leon adopted his step-children in 1967, the following year Beverly and he divorced.  She and the children moved back to Los Angeles.  She kept the name Brown – even after she remarried twice more –  to be in alignment with her children's last name.

After the children had grown and moved out, Beverly moved to Hawaii for several years.  It was after moving back to the mainland when she was finally – after multiple years of a myriad of symptoms and pain – diagnosed with Lupus Erythematosus.  The path to diagnosis had followed many years of symptoms, hospitalizations and various doctors.  Beverly wrote about her lupus journey in her first and only published book, I Choose to Live.  She also published articles and did public speaking events while promoting her book, as well as publishing articles in various magazines.  Before – and in beginning of her diagnosis – Beverly was in and out of hospitals with severe pain, and chronic fatigue.

Despite her many moves, Beverly remained close with her parents, sister, and some of her aunties, such as Betty and Kay.  Lupus, with its varying and intermittent health pathologies, often made it difficult to participate in family functions.  Her 'baby' sister, Cindy, and she were especially close during their adult years.  Cindy lived with Beverly and the children during part of Cindy's college years.  She and Cindy spoke on the phone very often.

Beverly treasured spending time with her 4 grandchildren.  Though she lived on opposite coasts from them, she savored the times they visited; playing with the toys she kept for them, watching movies, playing with them at parks and in the swimming pool at the mobile home park.  She proudly displayed photos of her children, grandchildren, her sister and their families, and her parents throughout her home; as well as many photo albums and videos.

After many years living in San Diego and then Santa Monica, Beverly met and married Leonhard Kraak.  Originally from Estonia, Leo was a fashion designer and importer of sweaters from his home country.  Beverly helped him with marketing and sales of his designs and sweaters.  They moved to the San Fernando Valley.  Beverly was widowed after he passed from lung cancer.

Always the romantic, Beverly enjoyed the closeness found in a relationship. So, in her late 70's she began searching for a partner through an early form of online dating where she met Richard M. Greene.  She and Richard –  an artist, illustrator, painter, former art teacher, retired elementary school principal and WWII veteran – shared many years together in a beautiful, caring and loving relationship. She wrote an unpublished manuscript about their romantic email correspondences and finally meeting one another.  Beverly promoted the sale and distribution of his paintings; and helped get these  "Plein air" paintings into various local art shows and galleries.  Richard, a prolific and passionate local artist in the Five Cities area (on the CA coastline), continued to paint up to the week before he died.  Following a year-long battle with melanoma of the lungs, Richard passed at home, the day after their anniversary, with Beverly at his side.

Beverly moved a great many times during her lifetime – even while she had the 3 children to pack and move as well.  After the children moved out, Beverly continued to experience what she called  "restlessness"; she would move every 3-5 years.  Even well into her 90's, the compulsion to move was strong and she would talk about wanting to move.

WORK AND WRITING

For her first post-college job, Beverly taught elementary school for about 5 years in San Pedro while married marriage to Leon Brown.  Throughout her adult lifetime, she earned a living with many different sorts of jobs to help support herself and her 3 children.   After moving back to L.A., Beverly  held jobs as a Bank Executive Secretary, a Real Estate Agent, and a Literary Agent.  After she was diagnosed with lupus, she continued to earn a living by selling business signs for a good friend (from when she lived in Arizona).  She would drive up and down the California coast to accomplish this task.

Beverly found her calling later in life.  During her many layered life, Beverly especially thrived on expressive writing.  She enjoyed writing poetry and took classes to deepen her poetry practice.  Beverly's romantic nature guided her to write romantic-based stories, several of which were published  in magazines.

At the age of 62, Beverly published a book about Lupus, I Choose to Live; about her personal journey and experience with Lupus Erythematosus; through the challenges of diagnosis, years-long pain endurance and management, and the reality of living with lupus.  She promoted her book through signings at various bookstores, and speaking engagements about lupus; often accompanied by her sister.  Besides the book and many published articles about lupus, she spoke on radio programs and at various events about lupus to bring awareness of lupus and to support those with lupus.  Beverly received various awards for her contribution to Lupus awareness and organizations through her writing and public speaking.

Beverly wrote articles about other health-related concerns such as eating disorders (anorexia); and was in radio interviews about anorexia.  She led writing workshops to the senior residents at one of the other assisted living places (Merrill Gardens) where she lived prior to Santa Maria Terrace about writing their memoirs. She also published booklets about writing and publishing.

AREAS OF JOY

Beverly was an avid and lifelong reader – well into her 90's.  Large print books enabled her to  pursue her joy of reading mystery and romance novels.  She continued to play card games when she could, such as Bridge.  In her later years, Beverly loved watching romance movies (old and new), musicals, and new sit-coms; "Everybody Loves Raymond" was a favorite.  Although, a heavy smoker for 40 years, Beverly quit in 1980, to support her health goals.  She was an active member of AA.

Beverly had a strong spiritual practice which included meditation, Reiki, and daily reading of  inspirational passages.  She wrote down various positive reminders to help support herself with difficult times.  She was often supported and sustained through physical and emotional challenges by her strong belief in a "higher power."

She loved her family above all else: her 3 children, 4 grandchildren, her sister and his husband, her many nieces and nephews, and cousins.

IN MEMORIAM

A very bad case of shingles derailed Beverly's health considerably.  She continued to have nerve pain from the shingles and would never fully regain strength to walk confidently.

Her final home became Santa Maria Terrace assisted living, where she was well-cared for by the kind staff, and privately-hired care staff, Nora and Felicia, and others, who brought her much comfort and care through the years.  In her last 6 months of life, Beverly was well-supported by Central Coast Home Health Nurse Ryan and various hospice staff to manage her pain.  She was visited by family during her final months and weeks.  Towards the end, great-niece, Bella, would drive up from LA and stay with her and sleep in a recliner, so Beverly would not feel alone at night. Bella was in the room when Beverly passed.

Beverly is survived by her children, Adrienne, Jeff, and Annie (Michael) Weprin;  grandchildren, Ariela Johnson (Stephen), Connor (Stephanie), Samira and Jack; younger sister Cindy Blum (Fred); nieces Julia Berger (Brad), Danielle Blum(Mylo), Ilaina Blum-Davidson (Josh) and Katherine Blum-Kennedy (Tom); great nieces and nephews Aaron Sebban (Ella), Annabella "Bella" Sebban, Asher Sebban, Aliza Sebban, Avi Sebban, Jack Kennedy, Sam Kennedy, Benjamin Kennedy, Lily "Celeste"; Rebecca "Ezra" Davidson, Abigail "Abby" Davidson, and great-great niece Honey Sebban; and many cousins.

Beverly's qualities of good humor, melodic laugh, engaging warm smile and deep love for her family will be forever remembered. Though her spiritual essence may be felt, Beverly's living presence on earth is missed by those that knew and loved her.

An intimate memorial service for Beverly was held December 19, 2024 at Lori's Family Mortuary. After a beautiful graveside ceremony, Beverly was laid to rest at Santa Maria Cemetery.