Beverly Sontheimer

Beverly Bourne Sontheimer

Beverly Sontheimer of Berkeley passed away on June 28, 2014 after a brave battle with lung cancer. She also struggled with a chronic, progressive vestibular disorder for 15 years.

Bev was born on February 1, 1932 in Shanghai, China, the younger of two daughters, to George Bourne and Maurine Day Bourne. Her family lived in the French Concession and she attended Shanghai American School while her father worked for the Ford Motor Company. As World War II progressed, her family moved back to the United States, finally settling in Berkeley.

Bev attended Anna Head School for Girls in Berkeley and Stanford University. After graduating from Stanford, she worked in banking and insurance in between lengthy travel adventures. She married Walter Sontheimer, a Stanford classmate, in 1961, raised their two children in San Francisco and later moved to Berkeley.

Growing up, Bev loved going to camp at Brown Ledge in Vermont and playing tennis at the Berkeley Tennis Club. Later, she relished spending summers at her family's cabin at Fallen Leaf Lake, scouring antique stores and flea markets, exploring Mexico with her husband, and learning about investing and following the financial markets. She was fun, optimistic, kind, creative, generous, and a devoted mother.

Bev is greatly missed by her two children, Sarah and George; granddaughter, Elisabeth; sister, Maurine Miner; brother-in-law, David Sontheimer; seven nieces and nephews; close, longtime friends; and beloved grand-dog, Hannah. She was pre-deceased by her parents and husband.

At her request, no services will be held. Donations in her memory may be made to any animal welfare organization, such as the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society.