Beverly Harper

Beverly Jane Harper, age 97, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on October 18, 2025. Bev began her life in Wausau, WI. on September 28, 1928 as the firstborn daughter of Mamie and Elmer Swanson. She attended schools in Wausau and graduated from Wausau High School in 1946. Bev set her sights on the big city of Chicago, and never looked back. She attended Lutheran Deaconess School of Nursing in Park Ridge, Illinois and received a BS in Nursing in 1950. Bev accepted her first job at the VA in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was at the VA where Bev met her future husband, Ludie J. Harper and they married on January 25, 1952. Bev and Ludie added to their family with the births of a son and 3 daughters; Carrie, Kathy, James and Judi.

Bev’s nursing career then led her to Public Health Nursing for Milwaukee County, followed by Monona Grove Clinic and finally, East Madison Clinic, now SSM Dean Clinic East. Following the death of her husband in 1977, Bev returned to school at Edgewood College in Madison. She turned her obstacles into opportunities when she accepted and excelled in the position of Director of Nursing at East Madison Clinic. Bev loved the nursing environment; helping and advocating for fellow nurses and staff, assisting and collaborating with the various doctor groups and helping patients.

While nursing was her career, Bev’s true and loving passion was her family. Bev was a Sunday School teacher, a school room mother, a Cub Scout den leader, a Brownie and Girl Scout leader. She assured her 4 children had an appreciation for music with piano lessons and lessons in clarinet, flute, trombone and saxophone. Bev and Ludie felt further education was important and assured that each of their children received a college opportunity. Bev was a proud Norski and passed on her skill of baking and cooking - especially Norwegian cookies; sandbakkels, krumkake, and rosettes, Swedish meatballs and “skinny” pancakes to her children. When Bev was blessed with 6 grandchildren; Andy, Colton, Chris, Jake, Grae, and Abby, life took on an all new meaning. She loved being Grandma Bev! Bev loved spending time with her grandchildren…reading, playing, babysitting and passing on her passion for the Green Bay Packers! She made sure to ship her Packer gear and cheeseheads to her Minnesota and Idaho grandkids as well as outfitting her Madison grandsons. Family was everything to her and included a family cruise to Alaska.

Following retirement Bev decided apartment life better suited her and she made the move to Oakwood Prairie Ridge where she intended to slow down and relax. After a day or two of this, she decided to better use her time volunteering. She volunteered with the reading program at Madison Public Schools and at the Ronald McDonald House. She was also a Hospice volunteer. Bev gathered with fellow nurses at Oakwood to create the Retired Nurses group where they celebrated monthly birthday parties with assisted living and memory care residents assuring those residents were not forgotten. She created a group at Oakwood who came to be named the “Oakwood Packers”. When Bev saw a need, she was right there to fill it. She gathered other Oakwood friends, forged relationships with local businesses and vendors, including the Girl Scouts, and bargain shopped to fill postal boxes for American Service members serving over seas in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bev and her powerhouse of volunteers have sent thousands of boxes overseas and continue to do so. They’ve received hundreds of letters of appreciation from soldiers of many ranks.

Bev is survived by her 3 children; Kathy (Michael) McCormick, Jim (Kay) Harper, Judi (Ken) Malecha, grandchildren; Andy (Jen) McCormick, Colton Harper, Chris (Jenny Smecko) McCormick, Grae (Janne Knight) Harper, and Abby Malecha, great-grandchildren; Marcus, Hendrix and Corbin Harper and Logan and Lucas McCormick, her brothers; David and Dick Swanson and sister, Shirley Jagler, along with many special nieces and nephews and friends, and her dear friend; Sharon Hamilton and furry friend, “Prissy”. Bev was preceded in death by her husband Ludie, parents Mamie and Elmer, brother Harold, daughter Carrie, grandson Jake and nephew, Kevin. A celebration to honor Bev’s life will be held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 at Oakwood Prairie Ridge Chapel, 5565 Tancho Drive, Madison, WI 53718. Visitation begins at 11:00 with service at 12 noon. A light lunch will follow in Oakwood Prairie Rose Inn.

In lieu of flowers, the family will be expressing our gratitude to her supportive caregivers at Agrace HospiceCare and to The Oakwood Packers. The family wishes to thank Chaplain Wayne Shannon for his continued support and care for Bev; Sara, Marie, Kendall, Jennifer, Sophie and the Lupine Team at Agrace Hospice for their outstanding patient and family support and to Dr Sophie Kramer and Breah Klemp at UW Health Home Based Care for their excellent care. We would also like to thank the staff at Oakwood Ivy for their loving care of our mom, and to Sharon Hamilton and “Prissy” for their daily visits to Bev.

God does not begin by asking us about our ability -but only about our availability, and we then prove our dependability, and he will increase our capability. Author unknown