Beverly Jean "Bev" Brandt

Mother, wife, grandmother, teacher, musician, volunteer and devoted follower of Christ, Beverly Jean (Shadbolt) Brandt entered eternal life on June 20, 2025, vibrant in spirit at 88. Bev was born September 17, 1936, to Lee and Louise (Mickey) Shadbolt in Bellingham, WA, near Blaine where her father was a pastor. The family moved to Tonasket a short time later for another church post, and eventually to Wenatchee, where Bev's parents had met and married. There, she grew up as the middle of three sisters, raised by her mother and grandmother after her parents separated when she was very young. From an early age, Bev was bright, artistic, outgoing and inspiring, holding numerous leadership roles in school, church and beyond. A standout student at Wenatchee High School, Bev was a member of the National Honor Society and student body secretary. She participated in theater, chorus and orchestra, playing violin and piano. She spent many hours in her teens volunteering at Deaconess Hospital, a role she credits with building her life purpose around helping others. The highlight of Bev's youth was serving as Apple Blossom Princess during the 1954 festival in Wenatchee, a thrilling honor that held weeks of special events and appearances, including a meeting with Washington's governor at the state capitol. Sixty-five years later, in May 2019, Bev joined other royalty from decades past to celebrate the 100 th anniversary of the Apple Blossom Festival, riding in the grand parade once more, this time on the back of a convertible rather than a flower-festooned float. Her pride in her hometown-the "Apple Capital of the World"-was unflagging, and she remained forever fond of the simple joys she experienced growing up in Wenatchee. But the big city beckoned when Bev received a scholarship to attend Seattle Pacific College. There, she continued her involvement in choir and orchestra and majored in fine arts education, receiving the President's Award and graduating with honors in 1958. At SPC (now SPU), she met her first husband, Virgil Griepp. After they married, they moved to Spokane, where Bev worked as a 2 nd grade teacher, then as a teacher trainer with the Spokane School District and supervisor of student teachers at Gonzaga University. She also headed Christian education at Northwood Presbyterian Church. In 1968, Bev and Virg relocated to Capitol Hill in Seattle where they raised two sons, Douglas and David. Immersed in the opportunities and challenges of urban life, they became advocates for social justice and racial equality, informed by their church vocations. In the 1970s and 80s, Bev was active in many facets of education, youth ministry and music, holding roles as a teacher in Seattle Public Schools; Director of Christian Education at Newport Presbyterian Church and St. Mark's Cathedral; children's choir director, and as a volunteer with Seattle Opera and Northwest Boychoir, which her sons participated in. She was also among the first women in Seattle to hold membership in Rotary International. Later, Bev was a graduate admissions counselor at Seattle University. Amidst her many commitments, she was deeply devoted to her boys, driving carpool to soccer practices and choir rehearsals and attending many Garfield High School swim meets and band concerts. Later, as a grandmother, Bev would enjoy following her grandkids' activities, cheering on Isaac in Washington and Ben and Gigi in Phoenix, Arizona. After her marriage to Virg ended, Bev found renewal in a second act, marrying Kenneth Brandt in her 50s. They settled in Everett, where Bev was a behavioral counselor and apartment residence manager with Compass Health. Bev and Ken were active at the First Presbyterian Church of Everett, where she served as elder and volunteered with the Estuary Angels program, dedicated to protecting and restoring Puget Sound through hands-on habitat work, shoreline cleanup, and educational outreach. After 25 years of marriage to Ken, Bev became a widow when he died in 2016. Two years later, she moved to Spokane to be near her son Doug for support, where she lived until her passing on June 20, 2025. Bev is survived by her sons, Doug (Denise) Griepp and David (Katy) Griepp; her grandchildren, Isaac Griepp, Ben Griepp and Gabriela Griepp; her sister Dorothy Shadbolt Anderson; and two nieces, Wendy Redal and Julie Hepper. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ken; her sister Shirley Shadbolt Killion; her brother-in-law Lloyd "Andy" Anderson; and by a baby brother, David Lee, who was born in 1941and lived only briefly. A Celebration of Life will be held on September 27, 2025 at 2 PM at First Presbyterian Church of Everett, 2936 Rockefeller Avenue, Everett, WA 98201. Memorial gifts may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Everett.