Devoted teacher, supportive wife and mother, philanthropist

Beverly I. Everett died on Saturday, February 1, 2014 after a three-year battle with cancer. She was 70.

Mrs. Everett was born on August 3, 1943 to Melvin and Margaret (Faust) Gerber in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. She grew up on her family’s farm. During her younger years, she was an active member in the 4H Club. Mrs. Everett graduated from Tamaqua High School in 1961.

In 1964, she married Larry E. Everett on August 22 in the Zion’s Stone Church in New Ringgold, Pennsylvania and began her life as a Marine’s wife. Over the next 20 years, they lived in various places such as Camp Lejune in North Carolina, San Diego, 29 Palms and Camp Pendleton. While Mr. Everett served tours in Vietnam and Okinawa, Mrs. Everett moved back to Pennsylvania with their daughters to be closer to family.

The family moved to Claremont in 1984 after her husband retired from the Marine Corps.

Mrs. Everett worked as a nursery school teacher at the Claremont United Church of Christ Early Childhood Center for 15 years. She was a devoted teacher and loved to plan fun and creative activities for her students. She was very active in the church as well, including overseeing the flowers in the sanctuary every Sunday, as a member of the Women’s Fellowship and spearheading her church’s involvement in the charity, Project Love.

For more than 15 years, Mrs. Everett helped collect presents from church members that could be sent to children on Navajo Indian reservations in Arizona. She was also a volunteer for Claremont Meals on Wheels for many years until her health no longer permitted.

Her family described Mrs. Everett as the perfect Marine wife due to her patriotism, often joking that she bled red, white and blue. The friends she made during her husband’s active duty became her west coast family. The Coles, Reinhards and Sumstads got together regularly for pinochle games, family vacations and celebrations.

As her daughters grew, Mrs. Everett was their most ardent supporter. She volunteered at their schools and as a Girl Scout leader. She attended volleyball games, horse shows, neighborhood kid clubs, parades, school and church activities. They regularly went on family vacations together, often camping across the United States and national parks.

Once she became a grandmother, Mrs. Everett attended all of their school events, as well. She cherished the time she spent with her family and friends. Game nights, day trips and vacations were among her favorite activities, family shared.

In addition to her own charities, she also supported charities and fundraisers of her family and friends. She donated whenever she could and supported AbilityFirst, where one of her daughters works.

In 2005, Mrs. Everett helped the family historian input information into a Family Tree computer program and got hooked. In 2009, she was elected the Henninger Family Historian and has been re-elected each year since. She would gather information from family members, cemeteries, churches, libraries, historical societies, albums and bibles. Her oldest daughter, Colleen Miller, began helping with research in 2006 and was elected co-historian in 2012.

Mrs. Everett traveled to 46 of the 50 states and six foreign countries. Her hobbies included reading, gardening, doing crossword puzzles, Sudoku, genealogy and going to craft shows. She read her daily newspaper front-to-back every day.

Mrs. Everett was preceded in death by her brother, Lester Gerber of Delaware. She is survived by her husband of nearly 50 years, Larry E. Everett, and three daughters: Colleen, wife of David Miller of Lake Forest; Bonita, wife of Richard Ramos of Fontana; and Melissa Everett of Claremont. She is also survived by her siblings, Lars Gerber of Whitehall, Pennsylvania; Barbara Lushia of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania; and Lynn Gerber of Slatedale, Pennsylvania; and three grandchildren, Rebecca Miller, Michael Ramos and Christina Ramos.

A viewing will be held at noon with services at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 8 at the Claremont United Church of Christ, Congregational. A graveside service will be at 2:30 p.m. at Oak Park Cemetery with a reception to follow at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to: Claremont Meals on Wheels, Claremont United Church of Christ, Congregational or a charity of your choice in the spirit of Mrs. Everett’s giving personality.