Beverly Jane (Nicholas) Beardsley

Camden, SC ….. Beverly Jane Nicholas Pantoja Beardsley, age 90, died from complications of a stroke, on Sunday, May 24, 2026, at Karesh at Beechwood, Long Term Care facility in Camden, SC.

Beverly was born March 30th, 1936, in Kirkland, WA, to Ashley and Louise Nicholas. Her parents were from the Woodinville, WA area and owned the Woodinville Greenhouses, where she worked part time. She graduated from Woodinville Grammar School in 1950 and was the Salutatorian and sang a solo for the graduation! She graduated from Bothell High School in 1954 with honors, where she focused on music and singing. She attended Central Washington College of Education and continued to sing with The Central Singers until graduation in 1958. She met Santos Pantoja at Central Washington College while working part-time in the cafeteria, and after graduation, they married and moved to Santos’ hometown of Costa Mesa, CA. Their next stop was Scott Air Force Base (AFB) where her first son, Scott, was born in 1958. After being reassigned to Grand Forks AFB in ND, her daughter Julie was born in 1960. Next stop was Johnson Air Station near Yokota AFB where Jeff was born. Her next home was in Guam at Anderson AFB, where Typhoon Karen caused major flooding and damage. Thereafter Beverly found herself back stateside at Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, NC where she taught Kindergarten and where all three of her kids attended. After a short sabbatical in Woodinville, WA the family moved overseas to the Panama Canal Zone to serve at Albrook AFB. Beverly taught kindergarten in Panama too. After several years there,  Eglin AFB near Fort Walton Beach Florida was their new home and Beverly continued to teach kindergarten. Bev’s second to the last deployment was to Langley AFB in Virginia where she taught 4th grade. Jeff attended Merrimack Elementary too so that was a special time for them. Finally Bev was stationed at Shaw AFB in SC, where she continued to teach 3rd grade for many years and retired after 30 years of teaching and loving her students!

In May 1995, Ralph Beardsley and Beverly were married. Bev is survived by her seven step children, Ralph S. Beardsley and his wife, Lois, of Burlington, NC, Paul Beardsley and his wife, Linda, of Sumter, Cynthia Jowers and her husband, Brian, of Greenville, NC, Cheryl Markey and her husband, Lawrence, of Lexington, Thomas Beardsley and his wife, Donna, of Greenwood, Darryl Beardsley, of Mt. Pleasant, and Kenneth Beardsley and his wife, Joan, of Lexington.

Beverly is survived by three children, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Her son Scott Pantoja, of Rembert, SC, granddaughter Brandy and husband Chris Lamberth of Statesville, NC, and great grandchildren Joseph and Isabella. Her daughter Julie and husband Guy Emory, II with granddaughter Ashleigh and husband Darren Wolfe, of Columbia, SC and great grandchildren, Emory and Nora. Grandson Guy Emory, III who is the lone grandson of Beverly, of Blythewood, SC. Son Jeff and wife Karyn Pantoja of Camden, SC, with granddaughter Stephanie and husband Dan Durocher, of St Petersburg, FL, with great grandchild Raelynn. Granddaughter Jennifer and husband Brian Behe of Laytonsville, MD, with great grandchild Lacey.  Beverly is also survived by her ex-husband Maj. Santos Pantoja USAF (Ret) and her fiancé Lt Col. Donald Wyrick USAF (Ret).

Bev is preceded in death by her parents, Ashley and Louise Nicholas, brother George (and Doris) Nicolas, sister Mary (and Wesley) Johnson, husband Col. Ralph Joseph Beardsley, USAF (Ret.) and Cynthia Beardsley.

Beverly was a great cook, gardener, loved to travel and touched many lives with a humble, gentle, sweet spirit in her roles as a wife, mother, teacher, friend and church servant, choir singer and soloist. She cared more about others than herself. She gave and expected nothing in return. She loved her family and Jesus and was a woman of strong faith and loved her church, Aldersgate Methodist. She will be greatly missed and we hold the memories she imprinted on our hearts to last until we meet her again in Heaven.

If you would like to make a charitable donation on behalf of Beverly, please consider donating to Christian Charities of Sumter at https://www.uwaysumter.org/  and select donate or call (803) 773-2433. Beverly volunteered for many years at their food pantry or Samaritan’s Purse at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/ and select donate.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 12:00-1:00 pm at Bullock Funeral Home.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 1:00 pm in the Bullock Funeral Home Chapel.  The interment will follow the service in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.

A reception will immediately follow at 22 Blackhawk Court, Blythewood, SC.

You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family’s guest book.

The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.

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