Beverly Marie Guirard

Beverly Marie Guirard Beverly Marie Guirard, 90, died Tuesday, January 17, 2006, at her home in Austin, Texas. She was born in St. Martinville, Louisiana, on December 10, 1915. Beverly was the oldest of four girls. All of her sisters, Gertrude Hebert, Sibyl Guirard, and EllaNora Guirard, preceded her in death, as did her parents, Robert and Ella French Guirard. After graduating from high school in St. Martinville, Beverly received her BS in Chemistry in 1936 from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana), her MS in Organic Chemistry in 1938 from Louisiana State University, and her PhD in Bioorganic Chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin in 1945. Beverly's lifelong work was as a research biochemist, focusing on the synthesis, metabolism, and function of the B6 vitamin group. Her professional career began in 1945 at the University of Texas in the laboratory of Esmond Snell. In 1956, she moved to University of California at Berkeley, and then returned to the University of Texas at Austin in 1976, where she continued her research until her retirement in 1990. At the University of Texas, Beverly held appointments in three different departments: Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Bacteriology, which later became the Department of Microbiology. Beverly was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Chemical Society, the American Society of Biological Chemists, the American Society for Microbiology, and Sigma Xi. Beverly's activities included involvement with the Capital Area Food Bank, Church World Service CROP Walk, Church Women United, the Paulist Associates, and the Social Concerns Committee at the University Catholic Center. She is survived by her brother-in-law Joseph Claud Hebert and by her nieces and nephews (and their spouses): Katherine (and Kirk) Whisman of Dallas; Robert and Timothy (and Cathy) Hebert of St. Martinville; and Chris (Kip) (and Carrie Sue) Hebert and Janet Bevan of Baton Rouge. In the last months of her life, Beverly was blessed with round-the-clock care provided by Hope Barrera, Penny Barrs, Wanda Butler, Angie Castillo, Lisa Castillo, and Sandra Trevino. The family is grateful to these fine women for their loving care and attention. Visitation will be held at Cook Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar, beginning at 6:00 Friday, January 20, and a rosary will be led by Rev. Bob Scott, CSP, beginning at 7:00 p.m. A funeral mass will be said at Holy Spirit Chapel at the University Catholic Center, 2010 University Ave, at 10:00 a.m., Saturday morning, January 21. Burial will be in St. Martinville, Louisiana. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Beverly's memory to the Capital Area Food Bank, 8201 South Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78745.