Beverly Mae Broberg left this earth on October 28, 2017, but her spirit lives in the hearts of everyone who knew her.

With the pain of her loss comes gratitude for the love, grace and kindness she generously shared with family, friends and everyone she met.

Beverly passed away in the company of husband Robert and children Brad Broberg and Robin Broussard after a long battle with Lewy body dementia. She was 84.

Born on June 13, 1933, in Seattle to Horace and Lois Bullock, Beverly grew up in South Park, where everyone knew her as Petie.

Beverly met Robert at Cleveland High School in Seattle. She was president of the Girls Club and he was quarterback of the football team. Bev and Bob were married on May 2, 1952. More than 65 years later, Bob still marvels at how he managed to marry the prettiest girl in school.

Beverly found great joy in making the family home a special place to live and a special place to visit. Dust, clutter and empty cookie jars never stood a chance. Beverly was the consummate hostess. Her elegant holiday meals were straight outta Bon Appetit. Bow down, Martha Stewart!

Beverly was more than a homemaker extraordinaire. She worked outside the home for most of her life – at Sears, Boeing and Safeco as well as at Concord Elementary School in Seattle and Sacajawea Junior High School in Federal Way.

Bev and Bob spent the first years of their marriage in Seattle before moving to Federal Way in 1967. Their new home in Marine Hills became the center of the extended Broberg and Bullock families for the next 30 years. The large patio, sports court and finished basement – which included a fireplace, bar and the biggest television in the cul de sac – were tailor made for summer barbecues, holiday celebrations and football viewing parties.

After Bev retired from Safeco and Bob retired from Boeing, they moved to South Prairie in rural Pierce County in 1997. The energetic duo made their home in a sunny cedar cabin built atop a rolling hill in the middle of 10 acres. The cabin – a tiny home before tiny homes were a thing – was flanked by a large outbuilding that included a family room, spacious loft, mother-in-law apartment and expansive woodworking shop. The views of Mount Rainier to the east and the setting sun to the west were Mother Nature’s daily gift.

Over the years Bev and Bob worked side by side to turn much of the wooded property into their own park, clearing paths, creating meadows and planting a personal arboretum of shrubs and trees. Once again their home – more like a compound – became the hub of the Broberg/Bullock clan, hosting reunions, birthday parties, sleepovers and two pig roasts.

Beverly made everyone feel welcome and cherished whether she’d known them for years or was saying her first hello. Children were special to her. Bev and Bob made the trek from South Prairie literally hundreds of times to attend their grandchildren’s school and sports activities. In more recent years, visits by great-grandchildren provided rare flashes of joy for Beverly as the dark curtain of Lewy body dementia descended.

Beverly’s battle with Lewy body dementia began in 2013. Two years later, Bev and Bob returned to Federal Way to live with daughter Robin and her husband, Arnold. Bob, Robin and the rest of the family provided devoted care until Beverly’s last breath.

Beverly was preceded in death by granddaughter Deminica Broussard. She is survived by: husband Robert; brother Dennis Bullock and his wife, Kathy; son Brad Broberg and his wife, Julee; daughter Robin Broussard and her husband, Arnold; grandson Joshua Broussard, his wife, Ashley, and their two children, Jaxton and Kamden; grandson Aaron Broussard, his wife, Katie, and their three children, Aiden, Maiya and Mason; and granddaughter Rachel Broberg.

The family invites all who knew Beverly to an open house celebration of life on Sunday, December 3, from 1-5 p.m. at the Dumas Bay Centre, 3200 S.W. Dash Point Road, Federal Way. The family requests that any memorials be made to the Federal Way Boys and Girls Club in her name.