NARENA "BOOTS" GREER BEYER

1923 - 2019

Narena "Boots" Greer Beyer
September 21, 1923 – June 11, 2019
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

It is with sadness to announce the passing of Narena Louise Greer Beyer, a resident of Rancho Palos Verdes for the past 30 years. All who knew her called her "Boots", a nickname she was given during her roller skating and figure skating performing years and endured throughout her life.
Born on September 12, 1923 in Solano Beach, CA., Boots showed immediate physical prowess by riding and showing horses at the tender age of 6, winning many ribbons and silver cups with her beautiful horse named "Film Actor". At the age of 10, she learned to Roller Skate and few years later formed a roller skating trio called "Boots & Her Buddies" skating exhibition performances at local rinks and skating clubs. One member of the trio left but the act continued as a duo renaming the act "The Skate-O-Maniacs". In 1939, a talent scout for The Major Bowes Touring Shows asked the duo to audition and in 1939, they officially started their professional skating career touring the US and Canada until 1941. One exciting feature of their Act was Boots passing her whole body thru a tennis racket frame while she was spinning. In 1941, the team appeared at the famous Roxy Theater in New York and signed a 3 year contract with Music Corporation of America. They returned to appear at the Roxy after 5 weeks and appeared alongside Milton Berle. They later went on to appear in a Revue with the late, great Eddy Duchin and his orchestra.
Boots switched from Roller Skates to Ice Skates and found a new partner and taught him all the tricks she used to do on Rollers. The new duo was signed sight unseen to appear at the Century Room in the Hotel Adolphus in Dallas. Boots' new partner Richard Norris had no problem with all the incredible adagio skating lifts and so Boots changed the name of the act to "Narena & Norris". They were immediately signed for an engagement at the Netherland Plaza Hotel in Ohio and then on to New York where they appeared at the Hotel New Yorker skating to a live orchestra conducted by Victor Lombardo.
Word spread about this dynamic act and in 1948 they joined "Ice Cycles" for a season. Their next major break came along when they were hired by the "Shipstads & Johnson's Ice Follies" touring the US and Canada playing all of the major arenas including Madison Square Garden. During this time Boots married her partner Dick Norris and the duo received well deserved international publicity that included both Life and Look Magazine features.
Sonja Henie, the great skater from Oslo Norway who won 3 Olympic Gold Medals, heard that Narena & Norris' Ice Follies contract was ending so she called and asked them to join her world renowned touring ice show as a featured act. Boots was in awe of the great Sonja, so they signed for one year and, following a lucrative offer she convinced the team to stay on for a second year. This was a difficult time for Boots as her marriage to Dick Norris had broken down so at the end of the contract in March 1953, Boots decided to retire from Figure Skating and did so with great and fond memories.
Following her performing years Boots held several high profile positions during the hay days of Hollywood. She was an assistant to Ted Allen, an Independent Motion Picture Producer and creator of the TV Series "Lassie" followed by a stint as personal secretary to Rouben Mamoulian, one of the great stage and motion picture directors with credits including the original "Porgy & Bess", "Oklahoma", "Carousel" and more.
In 1960, Boots joined Planning Research Corporation (PRC), where she was a valued and respected part of the executive team regularly travelling to Branch Offices around the US, particularly Washington DC. Her job at PRC was a highlight of her life's career and, after 20 years she retired
At the time of Boot's retirement, she was living with her mother Meridille in Fox Hills, CA. Boots became acquainted with her neighbor Carl Beyer, a retired Aero Space Engineer with Lockheed, who had recently lost his wife. With much in common, Boots and Carl married in 1979 at the Riviera Country Club. Carl became an avid fan of Boot's skating career and immersed himself in all the competitions. They travelled to World Figure Skating Championships in Copenhagen and Ottawa and continued their interest in the Olympics and all the new skaters coming up. Sadly, Carl passed away in 1995 but Boots continued her interest in skating and attended the World's again this time in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1997.
Boots took an interest in all of those around her. She especially loved to create photo albums for everyone that featured their children, grand children, and their homes. She always took pictures of all gifts she received from everyone. Balloons, bouquets, plants, flowers, stuffed bears, you name it and she took a picture of it and sent it to you.
In late 2018, Boots was having trouble living independently and, after a series of falls, was moved to Belmont Village Assisted Living in Rancho Palos Verdes, just minutes from her home. Following a brief illness, Boots passed away peacefully at Torrance Memorial Hospital and will be interred at The Hollywood Forever Cemetery beside her mother, step father and sister.
Boots was predeceased in death by her husband Carl Monroe Beyer, her birth father John Smith, mother Meridille Smith-Greer and step father John Greer, sister Meridille J. Carney and Aja Zanova, her devoted lifetime friend and World Champion Figure Skater from Prague.

Boots is survived by a cousin in Michigan, Venelva Laura and her husband Ed and by her devoted friends; Kathy Tyndall & Family, Janette Botros, Dr. Ana Mellor, Dr. John & Rita Spalding and Don and Noel Watson.