Beverly Anndittemore Rasmussen -Ryle

Beverly Dittemore Rasmussen,

age 67, passed away peacefully on February 1, 2013 from complications related to lung cancer. She is survived by her, Mother Mildred Ryle, her sister Judith Westlake, her two daughters Dana Hammond (married to Christopher Hammond) and Denise Berridge married to (Kenneth Berridge), and her four grandsons; Timothy Hammond, (12) Carder Berridge (11) Mathew Hammond (10) and Joseph Berridge (9).

Bev was a Colorado Native. She graduated from South High School in 1963 and went on to attend Colorado State University. At the age of 20, she married Richard "Dick" Allen Dittemore. They had two daughters and named them Dana and Denise. Bev was predominately a homemaker until her oldest daughter left home for college; she embraced the task of raising her daughters with a powerful commitment and a strong work ethic. Bev was also a teacher's aide and very active in the local PTA at her daughters' elementary school, and she was once the Girl Scout Cookie Chairperson. Bev worked hard to ensure her daughters had the opportunity to be involved with sports and other extracurricular activities that are so important to the life-long learning process. She made sure her girls got to practice, had dresses for school dances and costumes for Halloween. During some of the most memorable school breaks, she took her daughters on "field trips" to the Denver Mint and the Molly Brown House and the Denver Museum of Natural History. Every March, Bev and Dick made it a priority to drive the kids out west to California to go to Disneyland and enjoy the other attractions but most of all to see the ocean. They raised their kids backpacking, waterskiing and fishing. They instilled in their kids a love for the beauty of Colorado and the great outdoors.

Bev and Dick parted ways after 20 years of marriage at which time she entered the work force to become a licensed insurance agent so she could effectively contribute to her daughters' college education while purchasing her home in the Columbine area. As a result of Bev's strong dedication to providing the opportunity of higher education for her daughters, and the values she taught them to embrace growing up, both went on to earn college degrees; one of her daughters even earned a post graduate degree.

Bev thrived in her professional life as an insurance broker with Prudential, receiving many awards. She worked hard so she could travel and see the world. Traveling was a passion of hers and was able to do so with her second husband. She also was a bit of an "extreme sports" kind of gal for the times. She rode her bike over the I-70 mountain passes, climbed "fourteeners," loved running and hiking, and she even learned to ski and scuba dive in her forties.

When Bev was diagnosed with cancer she inspired her friends by continuing to adventure with her hiking group. She also kept traveling and attending her grandsons' sporting events at the same time she was receiving chemotherapy. Her friends and family would describe her as tenacious, vibrant, determined, and motivated. She was passionate about her grandchildren, mountains and ocean sunsets and a clean house. If Bev did it she "did it right!" She enjoyed football and during the end of her illness she relished watching the Broncos, (except the last game against the Ravens) with her grandsons and having them make her "picks" for the family football pool.

In the final weeks of her life, she had a massive stroke but she still managed to be the star patient at the Spalding rehab unit. She was described by the physician at Spalding as one of the "most ill patients on his unit but also the hardest working and most motivated." One of her therapists told her "You are a patient that I will never forget." Bev had this kind of impact on many people whose lives she touched. When you met her you thought "I wish I had that kind of motivation and determination." She will be missed and the void she leaves behind is profound.

Services will be held May 11, 2013 at 11:00 AM at The Chapel at Red Rocks, 905 Bear Creek Avenue, Morrison 80465 (The Chapel sits at Entrance #3 of Red Rocks Park).

Reception will be held following the services, Open House at Bev's Residence (weather permitting)6216 W. Roxbury Place, Littleton 80128. In the event of inclement weather the reception will be held at the residence of Dana & Chris Hammond at 956 Country Briar Lane, Highlands Ranch 80129 (call 303-898-5255 or 720-341-2846 if you want to confirm location.)

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to one of the following:
Family Tree- Domestic Violence Services Programs, 3805 Marshall Street, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
American Lung Association-Colorado, 5600 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Suite 100, Greenwood Village CO 80011
Lungevity, www.lungevity.org