November celebrates the annual Thanksgiving holiday, a day for reflection, gratitude and grace.  And it is in this spirit of Thanksgiving that the Guild honors Beverly Statter as November’s Member of the Month.

Beverly hails from Kansas City Missouri and met her husband Ed, a Kansas City, Kansas native through mutual friends.  They married within a year after Beverly graduated from high school.  Ed was already working in the “new” and expanding Plastics Industry. The two remained in Kansas City for a number of years, had 2 children, and then moved to Denver Colorado and began a westward expansion of the Regal Plastics Supply Company.

Over the next 20 years, additional branches spread through California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Mexico. Beverly worked at the business in their early years in Colorado but, as their family grew from 2 to 4 children, she spent more time on the home front. The Statters have 4 children and 9 grandchildren who range in age from 27 to 5 years.  Beverly says their grandchildren are very interesting and diverse young people and they thoroughly enjoy them all.

Ed is currently working on a book to document The Plastics Distribution Industry in the U.S.

When their last child entered school, Beverly was encouraged by a neighbor, who worked at Swedish, to volunteer at the hospital. She volunteered for seven years transporting patients in Radiology, (which she loved) and then served as President of the Swedish Hospital Auxiliary.  She served in many areas at Swedish; The Swedish Foundation Special Assignments Council and Swedish Board of Trustees.  Jack Burke was instrumental in bringing the MS Center to The Swedish Campus in the late 1980′s when Beverly was Chairman of the SMC Foundation Board.  When they formed their Guild, Beverly served as one of the Guild Presidents and was a member of the MS Center Board.

Twenty two years ago, the Statters purchased property and built a home, located in Larkspur, Colorado. They started The Statter Ranch with a small herd of Registered Hereford Cattle. The property, located between Denver and Colorado Springs, had previously been owned by Reginal Sinclair of the Corning Glass family in New York. Mr. Sinclair’s unique Adobe Home, built in 1932, still existed on the property.  The Statters completely restored the Adobe and was able to acquire Historical Status. Members of the Statter family live in the home.

In 1998 the Statters acquired a Champion bull named Total.  He became the cornerstone of their present herd and through the artificial insemination process Total has offspring all over the United States and Australia.  Beverly and Ed experienced a wonderful trip to Australia, visiting six different cattle ranches, to view some of Total’s offspring. Some of the ranches were 60,000 acres, which to quote Beverly, “Seemed to make us look very small.” All the animals at their ranch are free range, grass fed, and finished out with supplemental feed.

Very much an outdoor person, Beverly and her family used to ski every weekend.  Now she enjoys golf, travel, walking, gardening and “keeping up with the cattle”.

Beverly is also a devoted fan of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. She doesn’t know why it’s such a fascination to her but, she has read a multitude of books on the subject and visited Civil War Sites and Museums. She particularly likes a quote Lincoln made during the battle. Fellow officers were complaining of Grant’s consumption of alcohol and Lincoln told them, “If it is drink that makes men like Grant, then find out what he drinks and send my other commanders a case.”

When asked for a personal quote or words of wisdom, Beverly states simply, “It is what it is.”

As we pause to reflect on our many blessings this month, let us also include our gratitude to Beverly for her years of service and dedication to Swedish Hospital, The MS Center and The Guild. In Beverly’s case it was the domino effect of volunteering that led her to us and we are very thankful that it did.

To the many volunteers of The Rocky Mountain MS Guild, blessings to you and yours during this month of Thanksgiving.

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