Beatrice Pauline Simmons Handy died peacefully on February 25, 2007; she was 107 years old. Beatrice was born January 11, 1900 in South Bend, Indiana. The family moved to Medford, Oregon, where Beatrice graduated from high school. She married Merle J. Handy on Christmas Day, 1920, and moved to her husband's family town of Spanaway, Washington. The couple raised their two children in Spanaway, and for many years lived within two blocks of a very large, closely-knit extended family. Beatrice continued to live in the home she designed and had built to her specifications until she was 96 years old. Beatrice was an adventurous traveler and had visited almost every state in the US. Most of this travel was done in an Oldsmobile, nicknamed BES, which she and her husband Merle picked up directly from the factory in Detroit. She loved her family and friends and it was her delight to have them visit her Spanaway home, and, of course, she fed everyone who walked through the door. If asked her favorite activity the answer would be "ice skating," and she would regale grandchildren with stories of how Spanaway Lake would freeze over and everyone skated. Since she fervently wished to repeat this event her family orchestrated an Ice Skating party for her 106th birthday, after which she proclaimed, "The older you get – the better life is." Her last birthday, the month before she died, was celebrated with a dance party. Beatrice freely shared her secret of longevity: chocolate. Beatrice was preceded in death by Merle, her loving husband of 58 years, her son Merle D. Handy, and her brother Glen D. Simmons, who also lived a long life of 103 years. She is survived by her daughter Vivian M. Cotten, 4 granddaughters, 8 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren. Beatrice lived the last four years with Carmen Elenes in Issaquah, and enjoyed wonderful care as part of a loving and thoughtful family. A memorial service will be held March 17, 2007, 2:00 PM in the Mountain View Garden Chapel. A reception will follow at the Tacoma Country and Golf Club. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Spanaway Historical Society, PO Box 1238, Spanaway, WA 98387.

Published in the News Tribune (Tacoma) from 3/2/2007 - 3/4/2007.