Daily Sitka Sentinel

Beverly Scholz, 81, Dies in Anchorage

Beverly Scholz

Long-time Sitka resident, Beverly Darlene (nee Bright) Scholz, age 81, passed away on June 9, 2019, in Anchorage, following a decade-long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she came to Sitka to work as the school nurse at Sheldon Jackson High School and Junior College in the early 1960s.
While in Sitka, she married a former church-mate from Los Angeles, Edwin Scholz, who ran a small radio station near the Sheldon Jackson campus. Their mission work for the Presbyterian Church led them away from Alaska for a few years but after the birth of their son, they returned to their beloved Sitka, where they raised their family and lived for 45 years. They retired to Sahuarita, Arizona, for almost a decade where they enjoyed the warm weather and ability to travel.
Mrs. Scholz loved her family and was devoted to her church but at her core she was a teacher. When her children entered school, she began years of teaching at Mt. Edgecumbe Preschool. She continued her love of education by working to obtain first her teaching degree and then her special education credentials. This led to her work with the Sitka School District for almost two decades working with hundreds of children. She inspired a love of learning in her students, her children and her grandchildren, some of whom went on to become teachers themselves.
Mrs. Scholz is survived by her children, Jim Scholz of Juneau,  Karen Scholz of Anchorage, and Cathy and Ray Gallagher of Snoqualmie, Washington; her sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Richard English of Green Valley, Arizona; grandchildren Jessica and Nick Oberg, Chelsea Brester, Tiffany and Alexandra Scholz, Jessaca and Bud Lee, Trevor Koehn, and Ray and Kyler Gallagher; and great-grandchildren  Sophia and Oliver Oberg, Caden and Aleaha Beverly Brester, Levi Soares, Astraea and Alitheea Koehn, and Radley Gallagher.
The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Resources of Alaska to continue their important work.
The family extended a special thank you to all who assisted in her care during the past 10 years including but not limited to Jade Assisted Living Home, Serendipity Adult Day Program, Providence Horizon House, Hospice of Anchorage, Providence Hospice and AnchorRides.