Beverley (Lawrence) Vertrees (1923-2010)
VERTREES, LAWRENCE, LANE, HELLAND, HELLAND, GRAF, STEINMETZ, DOUGLAS, STEFFEN, MILLER
Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 6/2/2010 at 09:37:29
THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Thursday, May 27, 2010.
Beverly Vertrees, 87, of Ames, died Thursday, May 27, 2010. Arrangements are pending with Adams Funeral Home.
THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Friday, May 28, 2010.
Beverley Vertrees, 87, of Ames, died Thursday, May 27, 2010, at the Israel Family Hospice House. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 1, at First United Methodist Church, Ames, with visitation an hour prior to the service.
Memorials may be directed to the Heartland Senior Services Songbirds, Ames First United Methodist Church or the Israel Family Hospice House.
THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Friday, May 28, 2010.
Beverley Vertrees, 87, of Ames, died Thursday, May 27, 2010, at Israel Family Hospice House. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 1, at First United Methodist Church in Ames, with visitation an hour prior to the service.
Bev was born Feb. 23, 1923, in Port Washington, N.Y., to Wallace and Veda (Lane) Lawrence. She grew up on Long Island and loved it deeply. She graduated from Furman University in Greenville, S.C., where she majored in music. She married Roy Vertrees in Pampa, Texas, but they went on to spend their entire married life in Pontiac, Ill.
Music was an integral part of Bev’s life. She taught piano to scores of students, directed children’s choirs and adult choirs for many years at her church, First United Methodist Church of Pontiac, and formed and led the bell choir there for 25 years. She accompanied dozens of students at district music contests in Illinois, first her nieces and nephews and then many others. After moving to Ames five years ago, she joined Heartland Senior Services Songbirds and First United Methodist Church choir and bell choir, and derived great pleasure from all. She was a voracious reader and actually wrote and published two books, both mysteries, with church choirs having lead roles. She knitted beautifully, enjoyed painting, was very partial to classical music and loved to travel. She visited many foreign countries, but especially enjoyed her trips to England.
She is survived by one daughter, Carol (Ron) Helland, of Ames; a son, Bill (Chiyo) Vertrees, of Lakewood, Colo.; a stepson, Bob (Shirley) Vertrees, of Hudson, Ill.; and 10 grandchildren, Mark (Teri) Helland, of Tulsa, Okla., David Helland, of Bouton, Kathy (Tristan) Graf, of Swisher, Natalie Helland, of Ames, Richelle (Chris) Steinmetz, of Chicago, Tonia (Jason) Douglas, of Arlington Heights, Ill., Danielle (Justin) Steffen, of Normal, Ill., and Alesha, Connor and Devin Vertrees, of Lakewood, Colo. There are five great-grandchildren, Allison, Blake, Emma, Ethan and Maggie.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Roy; one daughter, Susan Vertrees Miller; her brother, Warren Lawrence; and great-grandson, Matthew Steinmetz.
Memorials may be directed to the Heartland Senior Services Songbirds, Ames First United Methodist Church, or Israel Family Hospice House.
Adams Funeral Home and Cremation Service is assisting the family with the arrangements.
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