Beverly J. Massa passed away peacefully at home on April 19, 2025, surrounded by her loving family, after a long struggle with Frontotemporal Dementia.

Bev was born on June 17, 1955 in San Luis Obispo, California, the day before her father, Harry Smith, graduated from college. She was the best graduation and Father’s Day gift ever. Her beloved little brother, Ken, was born three years later.

She grew up moving all around California, enjoying camping, sailing, and the great outdoors with her parents. Her father was worked for the Boy Scouts of America, and imparted a love of scouting and nature on his daughter. Her mother, Marge, taught Bev homemaking skills and was an attentive mother. Bev graduated from Del Campo High School in Sacramento, and attended American River College and Sacramento State University before graduating from Western Montana College.

She was introduced to her husband, Jim, by Terry Smith, her college roommate and best friend. Jim made Bev laugh by introducing her to his favorite comedic acts, and Bev brought faith in Jesus into Jim’s life.

Jim and Bev were married in Montana in 1976, where they graduated from college with degrees in teaching. She taught elementary school for 20 years in both Montana and California. In California, Bev learned Spanish so that she could bring the best education to both English and Spanish speaking children. She worked diligently to give her students the best education, spending hours making projects by hand, integrating outdoor projects into her lessons, and advocating for her students.

Bev brought her daughter, Katarina, into the world in 1984. She was a dedicated mom, and spent all her free time taking Kat to extra-curricular activities, making trips to Disneyland happen for Kat every few years, instilling a love of scouting and faith in Jesus, and traveling around the world with her. Today, Kat continues Bev’s legacy of inspiring young students through library education.

When she was in high school, Bev traveled to Europe and grew to love different cultures and travel. During Kat’s high school years, Bev and Jim traveled with Kat and her church youth group to Mexico to build homes and share the love of Jesus with others. Bev loved supporting youth who traveled the world to share about Jesus, including Kat and all her friends.

Bev worked full-time and was a wonderful home-maker, teaching her daughter the skills of cooking, sewing, caring for pets, and giving her a love of books. Bev always worked to care for everyone around her, making lunches for Jim when he was on the road for work, taking care of her home, and serving the youth group kids at church.
Her love of being a mother and grandmother is shown in home videos of her playing on the floor with her grandchildren.

She is survived by Jim, her husband of 48 years, her daughter, Katarina (Alex), four wonderful grandchildren; her brother, Ken (Sharilyn), her niece, Janelle (Sky) and nephew, Joel (Alyssa), both of whom she loved dearly; and the cousins that provided warm childhood memories for her.

The family sends their deepest thanks to Rocky Mountain Care for their support as Bev lived through dementia. Thank you to Angela, Sam, Christine, Nicole, Kylie, Candice, Jaylan, Zoey, Lisa, Kellery, Amber, Kella, Felicity, Jade, Jaime, Rachel, Liz, and all the nurses and aids who sat with Bev, fed her, checked on her health, and styled her hair each week; to Jared Haddock for visiting and providing comfort to Jim throughout the years; to Dr. Gagon and Dr. Thayn for providing home care; to Mitchell Funeral Home for guidance; to Pinnacle Nursing and Rehab Center for giving Bev and Jim respite – you were all the sweetest to her during her “vacation” weekends there; to Price Chapel for supporting the family; to Paula and Lois for being the sweetest neighbors.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Price Chapel on July 12, 2025 at 11:00 am, with visiting time beginning at 10:30 am. Please feel free to wear colorful clothing to the service to honor her years in early education!

In Bev’s honor, please plant some wildflower seeds this spring, just as she did with her students. Please consider donating to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration at www.theaftd.org, or to the Great Commission Fund at www.pricechapel.org.  Arrangements entrusted to the care of Mitchell Funeral Home of Price and Huntington where friends are welcome to share memories of Bev online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net