Beverley died peacefully at Arcare in Castlemaine on 20th September.
A woman of many talents:
teacher, singer, artist, embroiderer, quilt maker, gardener.
She will be missed by her many friends and colleagues in Castlemaine and Melbourne.
Rest in peace
A Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Beverley will be held in Christ Church Anglican Church,
Mostyn Street, Castlemaine on Saturday 1st October commencing at 1.30pm.
A private cremation will follow this service.
After the service you are warmly welcome to stay for light refreshments in the church hall.
If you wish to join us at the service via livestream,
please return to the home page of this website and click on the livestream button.
The service will be live approximately 5-10 minutes prior to commencing.
© 2022 Mount Alexander Funerals. All Rights Reserved | Web by Greengraphics.
My heart weighs heavy knowing you are no longer here, though many years have passed since our days in the Gen. art department, not once has the sun set without me sending you blessings for all that you gave to me. Bev, I am your “madamina” grown now into the model you set for me. I have at every crossroads reflected on your words and values, and am indebted forever to you. You saw the quintessence of my being and because of that, I am who I am today. I can only hope that my clients are a fraction as inspired, challenged and healed by what we know is the beautiful and creative spirit that carries our soul from one place to the next. You showed me this and with it success has graced me. I will continue to walk in your footsteps, bathed in colour and floating on operatic airs. You and I are indelibly connected through time and space, you were a teacher, a master really, a friend and mother and I rejoice at the idea that we will find each other again in the eternity of our dreams.
My dear friend you were a woman of superlative talents and great generosity of spirit. I will miss our days of sewing, chatting and singing opera.
The last couple of years have been difficult as we slowly lost the core of you. Rest well.
Dear Mrs Downie,
Though I have not seen you in many years, I was very sad to hear that you have left this world. You were such an inspiration to us girls back in our VCE art room back in 1989. I’ll always remember your beautiful vibrant dresses, your friendly smile, your opera singing, kind words of encouragement and your extensive and profound knowledge of art history and symbolism in art.
It was wonderful to have shared communication through our mutual sewing machine repair man back in 2019. I hope you will be proud that I have followed in your footsteps and am now an art/textiles teacher. I only hope I can inspire my students and have a lifelong impact the way you did with us.
May you Rest In Peace. I will keep your wisdom and memories in my heart forever as I’m sure many other Genazzano girls will do so.
Annabelle Cass
Thank for the Livestream of Beverley’s Funeral Service. I was disappointed that I was unable to attend as was hanging my exhibition Blooming Beautiful at The Victorian Artists’ Society Galleries, East Melbourne. Beverley lived a remarkable creative life. I was honoured to be a friend and greatly appreciated her support. We first met as foundation sopranos in Victoria Chorale established by Val J Pyers. Bev, with her glorious voice was also the soloist on many occasions. We soon learned we had much in common. Beverley was Head of Art at Genazzano College and I was Art Coordinator at Canterbury Girls’ Secondary College. We both taught VCE Art. Her students completed practical work of a consistently high standard. In particular, their Visual Diaries were outstanding. We were also both practising artists (surprisingly was not always so with Art teachers). One year we were delighted to both have a student ranked best in the State. Her move to Castlemaine awakened her love of gardening and I was fortunate to paint in her garden when it opened for The Castlemaine Festival of Gardens. I last saw Beverley when I viewed her wonderful Retrospective Exhibition in the historic Castlemaine Market. This showcased her great talents in so many diverse media including textiles, dress design, painting, drawing and printmaking. It was lovely that Beverley was well enough to enjoy this wonderful exhibition. Beverley’s was a life well lived!
Deepest sympathy to her siblings, family and friends. She will be greatly missed.
Jo (Jo Reitze (Mrs de Carteret) and Roger)