Beverly Ann Julkowski

November 6, 1937 – May 20, 2024

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Beverly Ann (Mattila) Julkowski: 11-6-1937 to 5-20-2024.

Born in Minneapolis Minnesota.

Lived in   —Minneapolis, Columbia Heights, St. Michael, and Plymouth , MN   —Hemet, CA   —Denver, Colorado   —Colorado Springs, Colorado  —and finally Mesa Arizona.

Bev, as she liked to be called, led a very busy and active life. In the early years, her focus was on arts & craft activities. These included sewing, picture painting, decoupage, macramé hangings, ceramics, quilling, furniture antiquing, gourd art, beading, plus other trending crafts of the time.  Ballroom dancing was also a favorite hobby.  Over the years, she loved to play cards, play games, assemble picture puzzles, complete crossword puzzles, and read mystery books.

She kept active during the Minnesota winters with snowmobiling and downhill skiing. While living in Colorado for 5 years, mountain skiing became a major activity.  One year, her travels even included a ski trip in Switzerland. During the summers, playing on a golf league held her interest for a few years. Later, she was an avid Square Dancer and Round Dancer for about 30 years. When health issues were interfering with the dancing, Silver Sneakers exercise classes were substituted. The exercise classes continued even though she was enduring her COPD. Finally, physical activity was suspended once the lung cancer took over.

Traveling was another strong interest and nearly all of the contiguous United States were visited. Three trips to Europe were also squeezed in between the other travels.

She was a graduate of the Minnesota school of Business. Her work career started in a health food store in Minneapolis.  Later she worked as a bank teller and then a Personal Banker; this brings to mind a humorous story. After working for 20 years as a banker, she was qualified to be a member of the banks prestigious “Old Timers Club”. Since she was in her early 40s, she decided that being associated with the term Old Timer was not to her liking. Consequently, she quit working and retired.

Above all, Bev loved having her own home, visiting with her family, and helping care for her widowed mother. She will be greatly missed and loved by everyone who knew her.

Beverly is survived by her oldest brother Marvin and younger sister Barbara who live in Minnesota. Rod, Bev’s husband for 64 years, lives in Arizona; they met on a blind date.

Her predeceased immediate family members are: mother Lulu, father Clarence, sister Phyllis, and brothers Gerald, Donald, Darrell, and Darvin.

A special Thank You is in order for the Banner MD Anderson Center, the Banner Gateway Hospital, and the Hospice of the Valley people who did a wonderful job of caring for Beverly through her last week with us. On the seventh day, she rested.

Interment will be at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. The service will be private.