Beverly J. Hilliard

1950 - 2019

Beverly Joan Hilliard, born July 22, 1950 to Anna and Irving Hilliard, passed away late in the evening on January 31, 2019. She grew up in Massachusetts and attended Natick High School. Beverly impressed her teachers and peers with her humor, intelligence, and artistic talents. She studied art at the Massachusetts College of Art and graduated with an English degree from the University of Vermont. She went on to earn a Masters in literature from the University of Colorado. On New Years Eve 1976, Beverly married her best friend and high school sweetheart, Dennis Luttrell. Beverly was always a familiar face at her childrens school events. She gave unforgettable readings for elementary school classes, helped with school plays, drew caricatures of teachers, and gave art lessons for after-school programs. She worked different jobs throughout her life including those as a counselor at the Marion Art Camp, an illustrator, freelance editor, and singer. Many will remember her spirited performances as Janis Joplin in the tribute band Flashback, or vocalist in Gypsy Lazizzas Chick Band. Her personality was a force of nature. She was vivacious, highly intelligent, creative, witty, both powerful and fragile, provocative, bizarre, whimsical, sensual, beautiful, and uniquely and unapologetically herself. She always repeated the story of how one of her childrens classmates asked, why is yours not like the other mommies? Beverly was not like anyone else. She experienced the world in her own way, able to bring the mundane to life with her unrivaled imagination. She skillfully played and sculpted with language, found humor in everything, lit up the room with her presence, and always left a lasting impression on everyone she met. Beverly was a gifted artist and writer, talented singer, and loving wife and mother. She is most remembered for her searing wit and intelligence, and the whimsy and creativity that she lived and breathed. She is survived by her devoted husband, Dennis Luttrell of Divide, CO, sister Cynthia Johnson of New Bedford, MA, and two children, Blake Luttrell of Austin, TX and Megan Luttrell of Baldwin City, KS. Her loved ones can take comfort that she died peacefully and without pain, surrounded by her family. There are no services planned at this time. Donations in Beverlys memory may be made to: National Jewish Health, P.O. Box 17169, Denver, CO 80217-0169.