Beverly Purcell Guerra

Beverly Purcell Guerra of San Antonio, Texas passed away peacefully on November 15, 2022, at the age of 78. 

Beverly was born in Boston, Massachusetts, August 22, 1944, to parents Joseph John Kimtis and Hilda Jenkins Kimtis.  She was a graduate of the Brimmer and May School and Briarcliff College.  She later attended the New York School of Interior Design. She began her career in fashion in New York City, working for Ingenue Magazine, then as a merchandising editor for Glamour and Vogue for 17 years. 

Since 1993, she held several positions, all with the common denominator, a focus on the women of San Antonio.  She was the editor of the Images magazine for the San Antonio Express News from 1993-2001.  She went on to be the editor of Fiesta Magazine and the award-winning Health Career Today quarterly magazine.  She was the founding editor of San Antonio Woman, now celebrating its 20th anniversary, South Texas Health & Fitness, San Antonio At Home, Denver Woman, and 78209, all publications of PixelWorks Corporation. 

She was a dedicated community leader and served on such boards as the Advisory Council for the UTSA College of Sciences, the San Antonio Symphony, the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance, the South Texas Blood & Tissue Foundation, Friends of Hospice, the Ecumenical Center, the CTRC Council, and more. 

She has also worked with and mentored young women in the earlier stages of their careers. Journalist Susan Yerkes once said of Beverly “She has been one of the most influential advocates for strong, accomplished women and causes they support in the San Antonio area for decades.”

She was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Hilda Kimtis and her beloved husband Dr. Fernando A. Guerra who predeceased her earlier this year after 39 years of marriage. They enjoyed traveling around the world, their membership in the San Antonio Country Club and several Dinner Dance Clubs.  Together they created a special blended family of their six children.

She is survived by their children Alicia Guerra Litzau (Mark), Catalina Guerra Cooper (Chuck), William Wells Purcell (Patricia), Roberto Guerra (Ruxandra Guidi), Ashley Purcell Bolin (Chris), and Luis Guerra (Sasha Piper) as well as by eight grandchildren, Sam Cooper, Ben Cooper, Ethan Bolin, Payton Bolin, Natalia Guerra, Dominic Purcell, Ava Purcell, and Camila Guerra Guidi.  She is also survived by her brother Robert J. Kimtis (Sue Bynum) and sisters-in-law Dardanella Guerra Cardenas and Irma Guerra Perez and her brother-in-law Raul Guerra.

MEMORIAL SERVICE

A memorial service celebrating her life will be held Friday, December 2nd at 1:00pm at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church with a reception immediately following. 

MEMORIAL DONATIONS

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in her name to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio or the charity of their choice.