Our hearts are broken.
Bud and Louie and Todd, Kathy and Charles’ world stopped April 1, 2025, with the passing of their mother and grandmother Beverly Ann Beck Elder. She was within months of making it to 90.
Mom was our queen and our compass.
Bev was an open house. We knew from a young age she was our patient and understanding mom but her attention and love were not for us alone.
Mom was a Purcell third grade teacher and a very good one. She treated every student with respect and compassion. She was also faithful and pure of heart. Whenever the doors of her church opened, she was there singing to the rafters with a hearty, lovely voice.
She loved The University of Oklahoma. Bev earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees on its campus and if an OU sport was being played, she was either there or watching on television. In fact, her last weekend was spent watching both OU Women’s Softball and Basketball. She was jubilant in victory and understanding and encouraging in defeat.
Mom was an elegant clothes horse and loved music from classical to Western Swing. She even got to meet her hero, Van Cliburn and also Pavarotti.
Bev was also in on the joke - Mom consistently forgave the antics of her husband Charley and sons Bud and Todd, who were almost as bad. Many have asked her over the years how she survived such chaos.
And, oh yes, she had to have every new Apple doohickey that came on the market.
Who else other than her children and grandchildren will miss her? Everyone she ever met. Her smile was constant and luminous. This is our point. She wasn’t just ours - she belonged to the world.
One person who won’t miss Bev is our current president. Her reactions to his roaring was to roar right back - just like our father used to yell and scream at Nixon. (Sorry, if you knew Mom, this needed to be included.)
Her husband the Honorable Charles Elder and her parents Louie and Bertha Mae Beck and her brother Don all died before her.
There is a fund in her name at the Moore Pawsabilities – a fundraising arm of the Moore Animal Shelter –moorepawsabilities123@gmail.com.
Pets loved Beverly Elder just like everyone else.