An Angel For The Animals
I met Beverlee in February of 1983. We lived across the street from one another on 87th and Wygant. I remember her great kindness to animals. She'd take in stray cats whenever she had room for them. The woman I was staying with and I took in a lost older dog. My cat was afraid of them and ran to Bev's house for refuge. She took him in and renamed him TC, for Top Cat. She said that's how he always acted because every morning he'd stand at her back door and swat the other cats on the back legs to get them going outside.
I remember wonderful discussions with her about spiritual matters. Some of her beliefs sounded Buddhist, especially when she spoke of the impermanence in life of everything and that nothing lasted forever. She reminded me of a female Buddha. She was always quick with a smile and a laugh. I just now saw that she was in the military. The Army during WW II and that she attained the rank of Sergeant. Those were things I don't recall her ever having spoken about. That might explain some of her beliefs about life.
After she mentioned liking Chinese Oolong tea, I went to one of my favorite Asian shops and bought her a box of it. When I gave her the box with 100 tea bags in it, she was so surprised. Bev quietly said: "All of this.....for me?" She sounded like a shy child who'd received something priceless. It probably took her a small eternity to drink all of it. If she ever did finish the box.
She collected dolls and she said she'd made some of them. She played the piano. There was one in her home. She played it often.
I recall after her husband Bix passed, Bev related to me some things that were happening in her house. She said she sometimes could hear his footsteps at night and she could occasionally smell his tobacco. She felt he was still there. I didn't think that was at all odd and told her so. I told her that he was letting her know he was still around and was watching out for her.
I gave her some plants once. She related to me that the Aloe Vera plant was doing especially well and she was surprised to see it was growing rather large.
My cat Squeaky was very fond of her and used to visit her everyday. She called Bev "Ya-Ya" because it was something Bev often said. Instead of saying "Yes, Yes," Bev would say "Ya Ya."
After we moved to a new neighborhood, one of the new neighbors across the fence from us was cruel and shot Squeaky in one of her back legs with a pellet gun. Harold admitted it. She was also not doing very well physically. I'd taken Squeaky to several veterinarians to see why she was having problems and wasn't getting anywhere with any of them. After I told Bev these things, she was upset and recommended her vet, Dr. Henry Dykehouse at the Argay Animal Hospital. Her concern for Squeaky was terrific and honest. As it was for all animals. She reminded me of Betty White that way. Bev would have been a wonderful veterinarian.
I still think of her often and miss her very much.
I remember wonderful discussions with her about spiritual matters. Some of her beliefs sounded Buddhist, especially when she spoke of the impermanence in life of everything and that nothing lasted forever. She reminded me of a female Buddha. She was always quick with a smile and a laugh. I just now saw that she was in the military. The Army during WW II and that she attained the rank of Sergeant. Those were things I don't recall her ever having spoken about. That might explain some of her beliefs about life.
After she mentioned liking Chinese Oolong tea, I went to one of my favorite Asian shops and bought her a box of it. When I gave her the box with 100 tea bags in it, she was so surprised. Bev quietly said: "All of this.....for me?" She sounded like a shy child who'd received something priceless. It probably took her a small eternity to drink all of it. If she ever did finish the box.
She collected dolls and she said she'd made some of them. She played the piano. There was one in her home. She played it often.
I recall after her husband Bix passed, Bev related to me some things that were happening in her house. She said she sometimes could hear his footsteps at night and she could occasionally smell his tobacco. She felt he was still there. I didn't think that was at all odd and told her so. I told her that he was letting her know he was still around and was watching out for her.
I gave her some plants once. She related to me that the Aloe Vera plant was doing especially well and she was surprised to see it was growing rather large.
My cat Squeaky was very fond of her and used to visit her everyday. She called Bev "Ya-Ya" because it was something Bev often said. Instead of saying "Yes, Yes," Bev would say "Ya Ya."
After we moved to a new neighborhood, one of the new neighbors across the fence from us was cruel and shot Squeaky in one of her back legs with a pellet gun. Harold admitted it. She was also not doing very well physically. I'd taken Squeaky to several veterinarians to see why she was having problems and wasn't getting anywhere with any of them. After I told Bev these things, she was upset and recommended her vet, Dr. Henry Dykehouse at the Argay Animal Hospital. Her concern for Squeaky was terrific and honest. As it was for all animals. She reminded me of Betty White that way. Bev would have been a wonderful veterinarian.
I still think of her often and miss her very much.
