Beverly Ann Carver was born in Douglas Wyoming on September 17, 1934. Beloved daughter of J. Emmett Carver and Lillian Russell Carver, Bev was proud of her Wyoming heritage and her deep roots in the State. A natural and gifted educator, Bev’s legendary contribution to education began in high school, when she was called upon to substitute teach younger children and contribute to their musical programs at the holidays. Her delicate musical gift at the piano and her silvery singing voice inspired children even before her professional career in education began.
Bev is survived by her daughter, Natalie Jeffrey, son-in-law John Jeffrey, three grandsons, John (JT), Courtland, and Brinn Jeffrey, and Bev’s life partner, Sheila Murphy. She was preceded in death by her parents and by her sister, J.C. (Judy) Martin and her son, Jamie Pergeau.
Bev earned the bachelor’s degree from MacMurray College in Illinois, the master’s degree in Education from Harvard University, and the Ph.D.in Educational Administration from Arizona State University. A Charles Stewart Mott Fellow, Bev masterminded several vital community initiatives for Scottsdale School District, including a community census during a time of simultaneous growth and decline in enrollment during the 1970s, involving 5,000 volunteers visiting 66,000 homes in the school district. Her doctoral dissertation represented a distinctive design for establishing goals for the decade of the 1980s, involving extensive community involvement using a Nominal Group Technique Modified Delphi process engaging community, educational, and business leaders.
During her extensive educational career, Bev taught every grade from kindergarten through graduate school. She was an innovator, recognized while engaged in studies at Harvard, and was asked by a prestigious school, where many Harvard faculty children attended, to join the faculty full time while still earning her master’s degree. This was unheard of at the time, and Bev was gently guided by the Dean of Education to delay full-time employment until her degree was completed.
Following completion of that degree, Bev ventured to Alaska, where she sought the level of salary that would facilitate her paying off educational debt. She later taught in Minnesota at the elementary and university levels. She spent many years with Scottsdale School District prior to and following her earning of the Ph.D. Degree.
During the 1980s and 1990s, IBM contracted with Bev and other top educators to serve as consultants as the organization sought to integrate technology into classroom learning. Bev was a natural, working with teachers all over the world, including Guam, the Mariana Islands, and numerous states on the mainland. A favorite assignment in Arizona was with the Winkelman School District, where Bev spent a very happy two years collaborating with teachers and administrators on the full integration of technology into learning at all levels.
Among her Renaissance capabilities, Bev served her neighborhood community as a strategist, masterminding a successful project that protected local interests. She was a noted literary archivist, and a gifted editor of poetry. Bev co-curated the Scottsdale Center for the Arts Poetry Series for 12 years.
Bev and Sheila traveled extensively throughout the world for decades, frequently visiting Sheila’s brother Tom and his partner Dr. Timothy Keogh at their home in Australia. Recent years precluded Bev’s travel, and in approximately 2005, Bev made the decision to remain at home, rather than leaving the house, in an effort to mitigate the challenges with mobility that a neurological condition brought about.
As a completely can-do person, inventive and creative to the hilt, Bev loved hosting parties, designing the home in a creative way, and making sure her beloved grandchildren had fascinating places to play in the house.
Bev leaves a legacy of treasured friendships and love. She will always be remembered as generous, insightful, perceptive, and a guide to many, always rising to the occasion to bring love and light into the lives around her.
A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 10:00 am at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E Indian School Road in Phoenix. For those unable to attend in person please join us online at https://www.facebook.com/WhitneyMurphyFH/live/. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Bev’s memory to the Ann Bancroft Foundation: https://www.annbancroftfoundation.org/
tina denicole
What a beautiful tribute to a very accomplished woman. The Murphy family is very exceptional and I am a long-time friend of Neil’s. He would speak often and very fondly of his sister Sheila and of Bev. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Looks like a life well lived!! With love. Tina
Larry Martin
Words cannot adequately describe how much this beautiful lady is missed.
All I can say is that she truly is missed.
Victoria Wallace
A beautiful soul; a life well lived
Sharon Barbour
What a beautifu,l accomplished life! How fortunate they are who knew her and received the her gift of love and light.
Warmest wishes, Sheila. .
John Bennett
I knew Bev thru her partner Sheila, and had the pleasure of working with her on the archiving of Sheila’s poetry publications. Her work on that was exemplary, and I was privileged to have known her. She was a bright and enthusiastic person, a delight to know.
Jean Zwick Sherett
I am sorry for the loss to your family of Beverly.
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
May your wonderful memories be a blessing to you at this sorrowful and difficult time.
Jean Zwick-Sherrett
Carole Dellorfano
…..We keep rereading this beautiful tribute to Beverly and we are amazed at how very little we knew about her life. She truly was a, remarkable, incredibly gifted person. Bev touched so many lives and inspired so many people, what a legacy she leaves behind for her family and all that had the good fortune to know her…We are so grateful to have lived ‘almost’ next door for the last 29 years to this wonderful lady, who was our friend and neighbor. Along with Sheila, we shared many years of birthdays together…and a lot of happy get togethers. She did so much good while she was on this planet…We will miss her..so much..we will keep her in our hearts and will she not be forgotten. . We are sending much love to Sheila and family. May you all find strength and joy in your memories. With our deepest sympathy, Carole and Nene
Tommy Murphy
I will never forget Bev. She was charming, loving and highlight intelligent. Learning and teaching excited her greatly throughout her life. It was a privilege to have her in our family and I will miss her greatly.
Neil Murphy
I was incredibly blessed to have Bev Carver as part of my family. Bev was brilliant, Wyoming-strong, hilarious, compassionate, and simply an amazing person to know, to love and to be loved by.
We often spoke of aliens along with fringe views of life, time and space. Knowing Bev simply made me a better and more inquisitive person and I’ll never forget her.
Sheila along with Natalie, John and Bev’s three grandchildren will be in my thoughts and prayers.
God Bless you Dr. Carver.
Larry Sweet
Although I only met Bev once many years ago, I, as a close friend of Shelia Murphy and her family of Notre Dame and South Bend, Indiana and later Scottsdale, Arizona and Australia, I heard many stories of Bev and recognized her as a wonderful and exceptional individual. I offer my sincere condolences to the wonderful Murphy family and recognize the incredible loss of Bev to Sheila and her family.
Rochelle M Gibler
Bev was a bright, shining light to us all. She was cherished through out her life and will be greatly missed by family and friends, most of all by Sheila. Even the greatest love on earth can not compare with what God has in store for an eternity with Him. ✝️
Molly Cox
Bev was a dear friend, from the time we both taught First Grade at Brimhall School in Roseville, MN until the last few years, when we met in Phoenix. We had our first babies a month apart. She was my mentor in teaching – the best teacher I ever knew. Smart, fun, kind, funny and endlessly creative. I will miss her dreadfully.
Timothy Keogh
Everything about Beverly was exceptional. Her indomitable spirit, her creativity, her wit, her passion, her intellect, her care and devotion for her partner, her family and her broad circle of friends.
She a was an exceptional teacher with a wide-ranging impact on her students. Outspoken and lively – always a different and informed point of view. A woman with her own unique style. Always elegant. Always beautiful.
My love and comforting prayers to Sheila, Natalie, John, JT, Court, and Brinn.
Timothy S Keogh
Brinn Jeffrey
My grandmother Beverly was such a beautiful light in our lives, never once did I not feel it since I was a child, knowing her my whole life. While this summary shows so much accuracy in how brilliant of a person she was, it’s extremely hard to describe all the other varying amazing qualities she brought without having been around and getting to know her in person. She provided so much love and amazing memories to my life and it’s still hard to believe she’s gone. She will forever live in mine and our hearts and will never ever be forgotten. She is so missed already.
Carole Fults
I am saddened to hear of your loss, and the world’s loss.
My love and prayers are with you now and in coming days.
Kathy Ernst
Some of my most stand-out, favorite memories are of visiting Bev and Sheila and sitting around the table long after dinner was finished talking and talking and talking. Bev was just so fascinating! And creative! And inspiring! Although I will miss her immensely, the light from such a person can never fade – like the stars it will just keep on shining.
Mucanne
Sheila has provided me the gift of dear friendship since high school in South Bend. That joy deepened when Bev and I met some years ago. A marvelous soul that I loved for not only herself but for being Sheila’s love…she had to be a blessing. An accomplished woman with a heart or gold whose wonder lives on in all that knew her.
John M Tritica
Bev displayed a radiance of extraordinary value. Her manner was empathic & intelligent. I always found her to be kind, witty, & incisive. Her humility & lack of pretense strike me as impressive. This radiance has left the body, but Bev’s spirit hovers nearby, encouraging me to be a better person.
Mark Waeghe
Please accept my most sincere condolences. I met Beverly many years ago while I was attending Arizona State University. I always found her to be a delightful woman with a keen intellect and wonderful sense of humor. She was a wonderful life partner to my dear friend Sheila for many years. Please know that Sheila and Bev’s family are in my thoughts and prayers. Sending peace and love.