M. Beverly Gaurin

– Beverly Gaurin, born Myrtle Beverly Day (married names McDaniel, DePalma, Gaurin, McBride) to Edward H. Day and Nelia McFarland of Bonita, left this life at the age of 86.

The youngest child of a large family, including six siblings who were soon grown and independent, Mom's childhood was spent in Montana, Idaho and Oregon. She went through nurse's training as a young adult and remained interested and active in helping people throughout her life.

She met and married Stephen A. McDaniel, stationed at Fort Missoula, in 1947. They had four girls together, later separating. Mom remarried Don DePalma II and moved to Indiana, where she gave birth to her son. Years later, she would remarry Ken Gaurin of Geneva, New York. And yet again, after relocation to Missoula, Mom found her final partner in Bob McBride. They also resided in Mullan, Boulder and Basin. After Bob's death, she lived with her niece in Oklahoma and then her daughter in Alabama. Upon her daughter's death, Mom returned to Missoula to take up residency at Village Health Care Center.

Mom defied categorization. She was able to conquer alcoholism, tobacco, and to survive cancer. Her alliances with her partners began with passion and hope, and all but the last ended when she needed to move on. One of her daughters would say she had the heart of a gypsy. Never a complainer, unsinkable in so many ways. In addition to a life of many changes, many jobs, many towns, Mom treasured contact with family and friends. She wrote and observed birthdays and holidays as often as she could. Her wry sense of humor endeared her to grandchildren and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Well into her 80s she was using Facebook and Skyping on her computer. A fall 2013 visit to her cousin Arlene at the family homestead in Bonita was an especially bright memory for her.

Mom was preceded in death by her grandsons, Thomas Zimmerman and Stephen Roy Andersen; by her daughter, Mary Williams; by her six older siblings, Grace (Smith), Ruth (Sammons), Ella (Hallford) and Albert, Ralph, and Elmer – all Hutchins. She is survived by her children, Stephanie McDaniel-Gilman, Jeanne Sliva, Laree Lee and Donald DePalma III; by her grandchildren, Jamie, Jody and James of Washington, Russell of New York, Pleasant of Oklahoma; and by 12 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

We thank the staff at Village Health Care Center for their care and attention to Mom in her last years. Cremation has taken place, no services are planned. As the best way to honor Mom, please remember her in your thoughts and conversations. She had a colorful life and was quite a character, so be careful what you say. She's listening.
Read M. Beverly Gaurin's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.