Beverly Bodary

Obituary of Beverly Marie Bodary

June 14, 1942 – December 25, 2024

Beverly Marie Bodary, “Bev,” “Queenie,” “Nana,” 82, of Duck Lake Peninsula, Grawn, Michigan, and Lompoc, California, passed away at home in Lompoc on December 25, 2024, after a fight with pancreatic cancer.

Bev was born in her childhood home on June 14, 1942 in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Eugene Charest and Mildred (Sowa) Charest.

Bev graduated from Traverse City Central High School, Traverse City, MI, in 1960. She earned a Bachelors of Arts in Education in 1965 from Central Michigan University, and continued to earn a Masters in Special Education from Cal Lutheran University.

Bev married the love of her life, Daniel Andrew Bodary, “Danny,” on January 26, 1963, at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Southfield, Michigan. Bev and Dan piled everything they owned into their 1961 Ford Starliner and moved to Lompoc, California in August 1963 to take teaching jobs with Lompoc Unified School District. Bev taught at nearly every school in the Lompoc Unified School District over the years, from Kindergarten to Junior High / Middle School, as a Teacher, Special Education Teacher, and Resource Specialist. Bev helped shape many lives during her 35 year teaching career.

Bev's family was everything to her, raising two boys and supporting a husband and baseball coach. She was also very involved in the lives of her 4 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. Bev was often seen in the bleachers of the “O” Street baseball Field (now “Dan Bodary Field”) cheering on the Braves. Bev even became a barber in the early years, cutting some of the players’ hair. She participated in Junior Alphas in the 1960s and '70s. Bev and Dan were members of the Lompoc Elks Lodge #2274, Bev ran a small craft business for several years, traveling around the Central Coast doing home parties. Bev, Dan, Nate, and Jon also ran a craft business during the summer months in Michigan, traveling to Arts and Craft shows, selling redwood clocks and tables they had made in California during the school year. This business eventually began offering stained glass pieces that Bev made. Bev loved to travel, and would put together a Christmas vacation nearly every year, from skiing in Lake Tahoe, Christmas morning in Maui, Hawaii, New Year’s Eve in Acapulco, Mexico, and also Thanksgiving with family friends in Rocky Point, Mexico. Bev also loved to plan the annual 2,600 mile journey, each way, to their summer home in Michigan, making the trip special for the kids and eventually grandkids.

Bev lost her soulmate of 58 years in 2021 when Dan passed away suddenly. They were better halves of each other, rarely leaving each others sides. They did everything together, from gardening, watching Young and the Restless, preparing special meals like Thanksgiving turkey, traveling, boating and so much more. Bev and Dan built their summer home on Duck Lake Peninsula in Grawn, Michigan in 1974, where they would spend their summers with sons Nate and Jon, and were visited by many friends and family. This summer home became their residence when Bev retired from teaching in 2001, becoming “Snow Birds” returning to Lompoc in the winter months. Bev was a member of La Purisima Catholic Church in Lompoc, California and St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Grawn.

Beverly is survived by her son, Jonathan Bodary; grand children, Mara (Nate) DeLeon, Danielle Bodary, Joseph Bodary, and Chloe Bodary; great-grandchildren Hunter and Kiley DeLeon; sister-in-law Cindy Charest, brother-in-law Alden (Mary Ann) Bodary, sister-in-law, Mary E. Bodary, sister-in-law Ethel Bodary, brother-in-law Alan (Kathy) Bodary; brother-in-law, James Morrison; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Daniel Andrew Bodary, who died October 24, 2021; son, Nathan Bodary. who died October 31, 2015; brother, Eugene Charest; sister, Rocquel (Rocky) Morison (Charest), brother and sister-in-law, Charles (Ann) Bodary, brother-in-law, James Bodary; parents, Gene and Mildred Charest; and father and mother-in-law, Andrew and Ellen Bodary

Lompoc Services will be held 10 am, Friday, January 24, 2025 at La Purisima Catholic Church, 213 W. Olive Ave, Lompoc, California 93436. A gathering will start at 9:30 am. A luncheon will be held at the Bodary residence after the service.

Traverse City Services will be held 11 am, Friday, May 30, 2025 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 603 S. West Silver Lake Rd., Traverse City, Michigan 49685. A gathering will start at 10 am. A luncheon will be held at the Bodary residence on Duck Lake Peninsula after the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to: American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704 Hagerstown, MD 21741

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