Beulah Bell Swan

July 6, 1910 to January 17, 2008

Beulah Bell Swan, long time resident of Crow Valley on Orcas Island peacefully passed into eternal rest at 5:30 am on January 17, 2008 at Harbor Place Assisted Living Community in Gig Harbor Washington. Beulah was attended by her sister Betty Strait, her very close friend Laura DeVerna Eidal and daughter-in-law Gerry Swan. Her Grandson Brandon Swan and long-time good friend Dr. Chris Eidal were close by. Lauren and Marit Eidal also brought comfort and love to Beulah. The nurses and staff at Harbor Place were gentle and loving throughout Beulah’s peaceful passing.

Brownie, Beulah’s husband of 50 years predeceased her in 1976. Beulah had two sons and is survived by her oldest son, Donald Swan of Orcas Island. Beulah’s youngest son, Rick Swan, predeceased her. Beulah is also survived by grandsons Brandon Swan of Poulsbo, Washington; Gary Swan of El Dorado Hills, California; Rick Swan and Michelle Apolonio of Gilroy California; great grandchildren Kimberly Archuleta; Chyna; Michael and Tyler Swan; Aaron Apolonio and Brooke and Brianna Swan; and one great-great grandson Shayne Archuleta; two sisters Betty Strait and Shirley Bridler; many loving nieces and nephews; daughter-in-law Gerry Swan; Chris, Laura, Lauren and Marit Eidal, and many loving friends.

Beulah lived on Orcas from 1960 until November 2006. For health reasons at the age of 96 Beulah’s reluctantly left the home she loved in Crow Valley. Beulah visited with Chris and Laura Eidal in Gig Harbor for a few months. In January of 2007 Beulah moved to her own home, an assisted living apartment at Harbor Place, in Gig Harbor.

Born Beulah Bell Lehman in Vallejo California on July 6, 1910, her mother said Beulah was her little fire-cracker. Beulah’s childhood was spent in various California locations, but mostly in the Monterey Bay area. Beulah was a good student, and planned to become a mathematics teacher. However, at the age of 15 Beulah fell in love and married Arthur Jeremiah Swan, called Brownie because of his thick brown hair.

A life long pattern of welcoming, loving and sharing started as Beulah and Brownie opened their home and hearts to her two brothers and four sisters during the depression. Beulah became a tender second mother to her siblings. It is a tribute to Beulah that during the depression, and throughout her life, she was able to warm her family with simple pleasures. Hot cocoa and toast (cookies when budget allowed) became parties during times when many, including Beulah and Brownie, were struggling through the depression. Beulah’s home continued to be a haven. Brother Ralph and sisters Betty and Muriel were welcomed home from WWII to Beulah and Brownie’s home on Earl Street in Oakland, California. Beulah there always with a big smile and arms opened wide.

In 1960 Beulah and Brownie (she was 50 that year) packed up and left Oakland to start a dude-ranch on Orcas. In the 60’s summer’s were short and very wet on Orcas. So instead of trail-rides Brownie gave riding lessons and trained horses. Beulah opened her home and heart to the young riders in training. Many of them will tell you that while the riding lessons were the draw to the farm, it was the cookies, cocoa and friendship of Beulah’s kitchen that have sustained them for a lifetime. A particularly good friend of Beulah‘s, Judy Wilson Sophoson, currently of Bellingham, expressed Beulah’s warmth saying “though Brownie and Beulah never had much financially we were always welcome in their home and at their table – it meant a lot“.

Beulah had rheumatoid arthritis and was no stranger to pain. Shortly after arriving on Orcas Beulah was diagnosed with breast cancer. Beulah opted for a radical mastectomy calculating this would give her the best odds for a long life, she wanted to see her grandchildren grow up. She watched her grandson’s become adults, and then Beulah watched her great grandchildren growing up. Brandon lived near her, and Rick and Gary would visit from California during the summers. She would travel to California for a few months each winter, and later she and Brandon traveled together. Beulah loved nothing more than having her grandchildren and great grandchildren around her.

Beulah was independent, she considered herself a bit of a maverick. Until Beulah turned 96 she lived on her own, and liked it that way! Beulah enjoyed simple pleasures, she lived for her family, she loved the view down Crow Valley towards the Flaherty farm (Arndt’s farm now-a-days) and the Grange. She loved watching the bunnies, the deer, the eagles, crows and various birds. Movies were a passion. Beulah had an iron trap memory and could name actors, actresses and their roles. In her later years Beulah had a memorable collection of favorite movies on video and DVD. Beulah loved to play solitaire and was great at crosswords, outplaying any of us at most games. Beulah could stretch an insignificant amount of food into a meal for many. Her reputation for cookies and cocoa is renowned.

At her 95th birthday her grandson Rick said the following “Grandma is a survivor…a survivor of many things happy and sad. She never gives up and never turns bitter. She is proof that we can all evolve out of our primordial instincts of envy and jealousy, and become better people. So a toast! A toast to the warm welcomes and the magical charm that is and always has been …… Beulah”.

Beulah was and is loved. She will be missed.

A memorial service is being planned for early August on Orcas

Obituary written by Gerry Swan.</i.