Beverly Anne Surerus was a Wife, Sister, Mother, and most importantly everyone’s “Nan”.  Her love of life is endless.  Bev passed away on January 12, 2022 at the age of 70 after a short battle with cancer. She was surrounded by loved ones that will continue to honor her legacy with the ongoing love she had for all. 

Bev was born to David and Dorothy Peirce, in Fort St. John, BC.  They resided in Wonowon, BC where they owned the Esso Station and restaurant.  Bev was the 3rd daughter to Dave and Dorothy, a younger sister to Connie and Vivian, and an older sister to Blanche.  I imagine the restaurant and service station was filled with giggles and business as those 3 little sisters ran through… One story is how the 3 little sisters, that were all 1 year apart, would grab a hold of the Semi trucks trailer bumpers in the winter and drag themselves behind on the Alaska Hwy a few miles and then back. More often than not their little mitts would get stuck to the bumper, “Can you imagine the truck drivers’ thoughts when they would stop and see those mitts” … Bev would giggle...

As a teenager, Bev moved to Fort St. John to the local dorms to go to school at Bert Bowes.  She was always known for her long beautiful blonde hair and in later years some beautiful wigs for her fashionable style! I asked her not long ago for 3 words that would describe her as a child and then also as a teenager, she couldn’t think of 3, just one, “WILD”!!! 

She met my dad John in 1971, I believe it was love at first sight.  They married on March 30, 1972.  This March would have been 50 years.  My Aunt Kate described their relationship to me a few months back as what we all want.  “They were like 2 peas in a pod, she took her marriage very seriously in that it was her career.  She took her roles as wife, mother and grandmother seriously, as if it was her full-time career and she was proud and fulfilled.”  I think that is a perfect description of her and my Dad.  They had a relationship that was pure and simple, and filled with so much love.  Mom did have a few other jobs, she worked for the Royal Bank before they started a family, when we were kids, she was the elementary school assistant secretary, she sold Aloette cosmetics for many years. They moved to different places while Dad logged. Misalinka, Chetwynd, Prince George, Grande Prairie, later years to Alix, AB and Roseneath Ontario, always making their way back to Fort St. John. 

After many years of trying to conceive, it looked like adoption was going to be the only option, right when least excepted, she found out she was pregnant and in October of 1976, I (Jodie)was born.  Jaret followed in November of 1978.  Their perfect family was complete.  We were her life, neither of us lacked anything!

As a teenager I rode horses in the summer, Mom learned how to drive the van with the horse trailer and off to different shows we went, some being downtown Toronto!  She also carted Jaret around for hockey in the winter and competitive baseball in the summer!  Well, we were teenagers and we did have many parties!  Funny cause she didn’t drink, but she loved to entertain, there was never a lack of chilli and buns or a safe place to sleep for us and our friends.  She was the one phone call from jail when our friends were too scared to phone their own parents. Bev was then their “Mom” she would head to town and pick them up and have breakfast for them when they woke in the morning, no questions asked. 

We made many trips out west in the summer to visit our family.  Always stopping to pick up Aunty Vivian, Lana and usually a friend of Aunty Viv’s. We would drive to Vancouver Island and visit their Mother, (my grandmother) as well as their sisters Connie and Blanche, Kelowna to visit my Grandpa and Grandma Marg.   These trips were always full of singing, laughing and usually ended with someone peeing their pants! (not Lana or I). Most of all they were full of memories!

We moved back to Fort St. John in 1996, with a loaded-up school bus, truck and horse trailer, my sprint convertible and a few extra people!  We looked like the Beverly Hill Billie’s as we traveled, but we made it.

Mom gained a son Chad and became a Grandma, but she preferred to be called “Nan” in 2000 to Connor, later welcoming Gracie in 2002 and Emalee in 2004.  She then welcomed a daughter Jackie, her and Jaret welcomed Gunner in 2013 and Nash in 2014.  Bev’s family was complete!!! She adored her grandchildren! They were the apples of her eye!

Bev loved to bake, she was known for her Air Buns, cinnamon buns, donuts and of course her pies!  If you were ever lucky enough to enjoy any of the above, you were one lucky person, they went very quickly and were very delicious.  Quilting was her favourite pastime, something she was so amazingly talented at!  Some were traditional, some were made completely by hand, some were very abstract, but they were all made with so much love! 

Baseball, Bull riding and Christmas movies were her favourite things to watch with my Dad, she could tell you who was playing in every ball game, and which players were her favourites, the same went for Bull Riding.  Country music was her jam she preferred Allan Jackson, Reba, Garth Brooks of course! Music was something she had playing always in the background; we grew up two stepping in the kitchen where she loved to DANCE! 

She loved, she smiled, very rarely was she mad.  Her world revolved around us!   The news she had cancer was shocking, but she took it in stride.  We didn’t get the time we wanted with her but what time we had was full of love!  Her hospital stays were always happy, she asked her nurses where they were from always, she wanted to get to know them a little, she must have been pretty special as they would come from other floors to see her or check on her, even if she wasn’t their patient.  Her doctors were all wonderful!  She truly loved everyone she met, and I believe they all felt the same about her, how couldn’t you.  Her smile was everything.

Mom you left us to soon and you will be missed more then you will ever know by us all.  You were a “one in a gazillion Nan” and loved by all.

Love you as big as the sky... John, Jodie (Chad), Jaret (Jackie) Connor, Gracie, Emalee, Gunner and Nash. 

 

A celebration of life will take place for Bev in the summer. Those wishing to make donations in her memory can do so to the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation.