Mary Belle Beach

Mary Belle Beach, 94, passed away Aug. 23, 2017, lovingly surrounded by her family at her home at The Fountains of Hilltop in Grand Junction.

Mary Belle was born Oct. 30, 1922 at Holmes Hospital in Canon City to John and Clementine DeVivier. Mary Belle was the fifth of six children, of whom she was the last surviving. Growing up, Mary Belle and her siblings helped pick cherries, apples and other fruit in the family's orchard and helped her parents raise chickens.

Mary Belle attended Canon City schools, graduating from Canon City High School in 1940. She took violin and piano lessons, and she played the French horn in the school's marching band. In her younger days she dreamed of one day becoming a band instructor.

After graduation, Mary Belle went on to earn a bachelor's degree in teaching from Western State College where she belonged to Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority and was an honorary member of the music sorority.

While teaching sixth grade in Florence, Mary Belle was the only teacher who would stay after school to let the boys play baseball, and she even served as the umpire. It was one of her students, Bill Beach, who introduced Mary Belle to his older brother, Cliff Beach, whom she married Sept. 7, 1946. Mary Belle went on to teach junior high school before giving birth to the couple's daughter, Terry Elaine (Beach) Brechlin in 1948. Cliff, Mary Belle and Terry moved from Canon City to Denver in 1953 where Mary Belle substitute taught in Jefferson County. She also was heavily involved in her daughter's schooling, serving as a PTA president and room mother.

Following the death of her husband, Mary Belle went to work in the Yellow Pages Directory Department of the telephone company from 1970 until her retirement in 1986. She then spent her time doing yard work, shoveling snow, reading and playing the piano. Her greatest joy was the time spent with her daughter and granddaughter, Tanya Brechlin. Mary Belle moved from the Denver area to Grand Junction with Terry to be closer to Tanya in 2015.

Mary Belle was preceded in death by her husband, Cliff Beach; parents, John and Clementine DeVivier; and siblings, Frank DeVivier, John DeVivier, Florence Ertmann, Nel-Lee Mullins and Dorothy Prather.

Mary Belle is survived by her daughter, Terry Brechlin; granddaughter, Tanya Brechlin; Jerry Brechlin and several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

Contributions may be made in Mary Belle's name to the Alzheimer's Association, Colorado Chapter, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011 or online at Alz.org; or to the Arthritis Foundation, 2280 S. Albion, Denver, CO 80222.

Mary Belle requested that black not be worn at her funeral, instead only bright colors.

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