Beverly Jean Richmond Fawcett, 85 years young, of Washington, moved on to her next adventure Sunday, November 5, 2017.

A memorial service will be held at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church November 7th at 11 am.

Whether known as Beverly, Bev, Jean, Miss Beverly, Jeanie, mom, Auntie Bev or Gran Moun, she was, simply put, a force of nature. Her energy, spirit, determination, courage and kindness were simply unparalleled.

Born in Hartford, CT to Edwin and Wilhelmina Richmond, Bev graduated Hartford Public High School in 1950 and attended Hartford College for Women. She married Alexander “Rex” Fawcett in 1955, the couple settled in Stamford, CT and moved to Bethel as the family grew.

Despite five messy males, she kept a perfect home. She didn’t just feed this voracious horde, she cooked gourmet meals, often with extra kids at the table as word got out. She found time to volunteer for the local American Cancer Society, and ended up as chairman. She volunteered at St. Thomas church, and of course eventually become President of the Episcopal Churchwomen of Connecticut. Apple pie contests, kid taxi service, blood drives, bake sales, you name it, she did it. Her energy, determination and selflessness were the constants.

At age 54, she did the unthinkable and went to Haiti to work as a volunteer at Trinity School in Port Au Prince. Beverly was an example of someone who didn’t just talk about their religion, but acted on her beliefs. She loved the indomitable spirit of her adopted country and despite the dangers and hardships her initial 2-year commitment turned into 8, followed by working for the Haiti Fund upon her permanent return to the states.

To no one’s surprise, she again did what no mere mortal would attempt and volunteered to work on a Mercy Ship. While her sons wondered why she was wasting her organizational and leadership talents to perform manual labor on a hospital ship, she plowed ahead, tirelessly working to help those in need, while reveling in the unknown and traveling the world.

In the same spirit of independence and courage, she moved from Connecticut to New Bern, NC, completely on her own. No friends or relatives there, she simply read an article about it and visited once. The good people of Christ Church made her feel welcome and in no time at all she turned her home on Spencer Avenue into a charming base camp for the Beverly Fawcett cooking show. In addition to her usual volunteer work, Beverly really spiced things up in 2008 when she organized a nude calendar shoot for charity, featuring New Bern ladies all aged 70 and up, including her (Miss June). It was such a success they repeated it in 2011. She may have aged, but she never got old.

Bev’s last adventure was moving to Washington. Her special blend of hard work and love turned a bland little house into her final personal paradise. Packed full of pictures, mementos, artwork and whatever struck her fancy, and with no more steep stairs to climb, she was happy and content in her new little town. She thought of it not as leaving old friends, but making new ones. The outpouring of kindness she received following a serious accident in 2016 was evidence she’d again chosen wisely.

She is survived by her 4 sons, Jeffrey, of Stamford, CT, Braden (Minde) of Mesa, AZ, Scott (Dawn) of Bethel, CT and David of Alexandria, VA; her sister Bette (Arthur) of Canton, CT; grandchildren Alexis and Adam; her Masinda cousins of Willington, CT and the Aspinwalls of NH.

Beverly leaves a legacy of positively impacting others. She made the world a better place and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Donations in lieu of flowers to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Washington, or Christ Church, New Bern, NC.

Arrangements are by Wilkerson Funeral Home and Crematory.

Online condolences at www.WilkersonFuneralHome.com.