Beverly Nathan died at home at age 80 of cancer on March 5, 2019. Bev profoundly touched many lives. She will be sorely missed, and her legacy will continue through all of those she impacted.
As a stay-at-home parent in the 1960s and 1970s, Bev was a doting mother to her children, Dan and Nancy. She was kind and patient, and she had that most important motherly quality of thinking that her children could do no wrong. She allowed her children, even at a young age, to try to talk her out of parenting decisions; and, when she thought that one of her kids had a strong argument, she would relent.
If she was not persuaded, she would stick to her position. In Bev’s mind, her authority came from her superior decision-making ability, not from her status as parent. Bev thus taught her children the values of fairness, humility, and self-advocacy.
Bev also was a wonderful wife to her husband, Vince. Bev and Vince enjoyed wonderful times together preparing gourmet meals, traveling the world, and spending time with their children and grandchildren. When Vince became ill with cancer, Bev took care of him with love and devotion until his death in November of 2017.
Throughout his life, Vince depended on Bev in so many ways, both practically and emotionally. Bev also made her extraordinary mark in her professional life. Bev graduated from college in her forties, and not long after served as the executive director of David’s House, a residence and service organization for people living with HIV.
Bev was a beloved boss. She treated her employees with the same respect that she had always shown to her children. She listened, mentored, admitted when she was wrong, and stuck to her principles when she remained convinced that she was right.
She was absolutely committed to the welfare of the people served by David’s House and the people who worked for the organization. Later, Bev was interim director of Planned Parenthood, and then a director of development for Advocates for Basic Legal Equality. As a young adult, Bev was a talented artist, and in her retirement she returned to painting and other artistic pursuits.
Her vision and creativity survive in the hundreds of paintings, drawings, and mixed media pieces in the homes of friends and loved ones. Bev is survived by her daughter Nancy, son Dan, daughter-in-law Wendy, and grandchildren Jacob, Aaron, David, and Sarah (Owen). She was predeceased by her husband, Vincent Nathan; her parents, Eloise and Elliott Levand and her sisters, Sandra Fielding and Janis Eisler.
Services will be 10:00am on Friday at the ROBERT H. WICK/Wisniewski Funeral Home, 2426 N. Reynolds Rd. , Toledo, Ohio. Interment Eagle Point Cemetery, Rossford, OH.
followed by a gathering at Bev’s home.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
