Beverly H. Barnhart

Beverly H. Barnhart, long-time Bozeman resident, mother of five and former Montana State Representative, passed away on May 13, 2017. She was 87 years old.



Beverly had a saying, "Be what you want to become." That's exactly what she did, many times over...and often, to great success.



Beverly was born on October 29, 1929, in Denver, Colorado, the only daughter of Adeline Gray Homyak and John Henry Homyak, a brickmaker at Denver Pipe and Brick. She had three older brothers, Howard, John and Gene. Her mother Adeline loved her deeply, and Beverly greatly missed her after Adeline died at age 59, when Beverly was just 21.



At North Denver High School, Beverly was named "Princess Wit," something that she made sure her family was always aware of. But it was true: Beverly saw the humor and absurdity in everyday life, and she shared her wonderful wit with friends, family, neighbors, caregivers and, fortunately for them, just about everyone else she met.



Beverly went to Northern Colorado University in Greeley, and got a degree in Education. She married Robert W. Barnhart in 1952, and as the family grew, the Barnharts lived in many places throughout the West, including Denver, Helena, Phoenix, Seattle, San Francisco and, lastly, Bozeman, where they purchased a house on South Sixth Avenue in 1974. Beverly lived there for 43 years.



In 1976, Beverly graduated from Montana State University with a Masters in Adult and Higher Education. In the earlier 1980s, she worked as the Director of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program for many years. She was also Director of the Women In Transition program and the School for the Blind summer program.



In the late ‘80s, Beverly started volunteering for the Gallatin County Democratic Party, which eventually led to her successful campaign for the Montana State House of Representatives in 1990. As a Montana State Representative for 10 years, Beverly was a strong advocate for families, aging services, women, equality and public schools, to name just a few. She was a member of the House Appropriations Committee and repeatedly fought to fund programs essential to children and families. She was especially adept at working behind the scenes to gain bipartisan support.



That wasn't the end of Beverly's advocacy efforts, by far. She had a lifelong love of poetry and in 2005 asked her friends in the Legislature to propose a bill that would establish a Poet Laureate for Montana. The bill passed, and the Poet Laureate program is still going strong.



Beverly also was appointed to the Montana Council on Aging, and as Chair, she worked to make sure that the Council's educational programs for older adults took place across the state rather than one location, to better serve the entire population.



She loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren fiercely and would move mountains to support them. She loved to be with her family, laughing, eating meals and telling stories. They fondly recall her wide repertoire of songs, including “Mairzy Doats” and “Itsy Bitsy Spider”; in the early 1960s, she'd get her first three kids to exercise by playing the popular song "Chicken Fat" in the morning. By the 1980s, with her youngest child, Beverly opted for family drives on Sundays.



She wasn't too fond of the word "hobby." But nevertheless, she had many. When her eldest children were younger, she played bridge, bowled, hosted parties, and tap danced in the kitchen. Later, she loved birdwatching, mystery-reading, big hat wearing, Gallatin Valley history, genealogy, paper-cutting, double solitaire, collecting interesting stuff and, most recently, harmonica playing and the app "Words with Friends." And she always greatly loved collecting and displaying her children's and grandchildren’s art.



Recently, Beverly started jotting down some “Delightful Moments” she was having Number 2: Snow on the branches. Number 5: Big Laughs at the table. And the last one, Number 9: Having an old-fashioned donut.



Beverly is survived by her five children: Barbara Barnhart (John Kjos), Bonnie Barnhart Bob Johnson d.) , Betsy Barnhart Jasper (Mike Jasper), Bruce Barnhart (Laurie Cutler), and Becky Barnhart (Nissa Hallquist); and 10 grandchildren: Karl Kjos, Ryan Kjos, Megan Miranda (Jacob Miranda), Nate Johnson, Wesley Barnhart, Amy Krushensky (Tim Krushensky), Breezy Cutler; and 4 great-grandchildren, Francesca Miranda, Zoey Krushensky, Max Krushensky, Evey Krushensky; and one great-great-grandchild, Reese Krushensky.



A Gathering to Remember Beverly will be held 2:00 p.m. Thursday, May 18th at the Emerson Cultural Ballroom. Beverly loved homemade cookies, please bring homemade cookies to share.