Tribute

It is with heavy hearts that we announce that Beverly June Arsenault – wife, mother, grandmother and dear friend – passed on at Penticton Regional Hospital after courageously battling chronic illness for many years.

Along with her beloved husband Ron, Bevy is survived by her son Adam (Kelly), grandson Finley and three sisters Shirley (Eric) Koprek, Deanna Froese and Dolly (Ken) Rempel. The youngest daughter of Dick and Nettie Berg, Bevy was born in Rosthern, Saskatchewan. She received her high school education at Rosthern Junior College and she joyfully held on to her Mennonite heritage.

Bev’s vivacious and caring spirit touched everyone she met!

Beverly started her nursing career in 1971 at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary. Later she worked as a nurse in Penticton, Vancouver, Richmond Hill and Saskatoon. Bev and Ron moved back to Penticton in 1981. She then began her remarkable career in nursing at the Penticton Regional Hospital, working in Critical Care.  She pursued and completed her Degree in Nursing from the University of Victoria in 1991.  She held leadership positions in Intensive Care, Emergency and the Integrated Health Center. Bev was the driving force in championing the Healthy Heart Program in Penticton and throughout BC.  She was also an enthusiastic leader and pioneer in chronic disease management creating the Integrated Health Center in 2003 – one of the first chronic disease management programs in BC.

Bev’s reputation as a health advocate is well known in Penticton. She encouraged everyone to lead a healthy lifestyle and was instrumental in developing the Healthy Living Fair in Penticton.  It continues today.  Bev taught us that a chronic disease does not have to disable a person, but rather it can enable a person to be positive, strong and look like a million bucks, something Bevy did every day!

Bev appreciated all kinds of music and was an accomplished singer and pianist. She sang in many choirs over the years most notably Musaic, Viva Choralis and St. Andrews Presbyterian Church.  Bevy was a great story teller with an infectious sense of humor. She loved to read, travel, cook, camp and monitor blue bird trails in the Shingle Creek area.  Bev loved her family, extended family and many dear friends. Her greatest joy was time spent with Ron, Adam, Kelly and grandson Finley.

Beverly rarely complained and often said “I have so much to be thankful for.”  Her legacy is how she lived her life positively in the face of great adversity. She was an angel in our midst!

Special thanks to Dr. Heidi Ingram, Dr. Alicja Frasinski, Penticton Regional Hospital Rehab and SP3 staff.

In lieu of flowers, please make a Memorial Donation, in Beverly’s name, to the Hepatitis C Education & Prevention Society, PO Box 46009, 2642 Quadra Street, Victoria, BC, V8T 5G7 or online at http://hepcbc.ca/donate/.

        Come With Me

The Lord saw you getting tired
And a cure was not to be,
So He put his arms around you
and whispered, “Come with me.”

With tearful eyes, we watched you suffer
And saw you fade away,
Although we loved you dearly,
We could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating,
A beautiful smile at rest,
God broke our hearts to prove
He only takes the best.

It’s lonesome here without you
We miss you so each day,
Our lives aren’t the same
Since you went away.

When days are sad and lonely,
And everything goes wrong,
We seem to hear you whisper,
“Cheer up and carry on.”

Each time we see your picture,
You seem to smile and say,
“Don’t cry, I’m in God’s keeping,
We’ll meet again someday.”