In March 1999, Beverlee became Executive Director of the Society of Trauma Nurses. The Society's documents fit into a cardboard box. There were no electronic records or processes. Beverlee steered the organization through very challenging times financially and by being available 24/7, working at the same pace and with the same devotion as the board, built a firm foundation for the organization. This foundation has enabled the STN to grow and mature as the premier organization for trauma nurses today. When previous board members were asked to define Beverlee's attributes, the words "fixer," "cleaner," "crisis management," "action oriented," "devoted," and "heavily involved" were used.
During Beverlee's tenure, membership grew from 303 to 1,108. The first strategic plan and mission statement were developed. Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses became international and widely disseminated in the United States. The STN listserve was added to the electronic communications and the special interest groups (SIGs) were formed. STN was invited to be at the table to discuss and develop trauma-related initiatives with Health Resources and Services Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, American College of Surgeons-Committee on Trauma, Emergency Nurses Association, American College of Emergency Physicians, and American Thoracic Society. The Trauma Outcomes and Performance Improvement Course was developed and became a "must attend" for trauma program managers/coordinators and performance improvement professionals. Beverlee's influence and spirit are deeply interwoven in the structure and the members of STN.
Cicero wrote, "The life given us by nature is short, but the memory of a life well spent is eternal." The following excerpts from her obituary exemplify "a life well spent."
She was a woman of many lives. She and Stewart G. Anderson raised two boys: McGowan and Marshall, now husbands and fathers in their own rights. Although she earned an associate degree from Colby College, she had a talent for maximizing her experiences as a leader and organizer. She and her friend Heidi always said they had their PhDs in "street smarts!!"
She became known for taking troubled groups and making them whole and vigorously functional again. It didn't hurt any that she also made them financially viable and able to perform their mission with style. She always found a way.
Also in mid life, Beverlee and Dr William Schiller met and began a marriage full of adventure. Together they collected art and took special pleasure in meeting the artists whose works adorn their home in Santa Fe, and in supporting the work of new and up and coming artists. She had a flair for bold jewelry, and often commissioned pieces made from scratch or from items borrowed from older pieces. She also became a fly fisherman, traveler, amateur geologist, and astronomer. Both Bill and Beverlee were handy in the kitchen, but Beverlee's culinary genius kept it all going.
The last great adventure upon which she embarked some time ago was being a grandmother. She took special joy and pride in being the kind of grandmother who could as easily take the kids out for ice cream as sit with them while reading a good book that would challenge them and hopefully impress them with the joy of learning.
Beverlee's was an unfinished life, and those who knew her ache a bit with this premature loss. She is survived by her husband, William Schiller; her oldest son, McGowan Anderson, his wife Teri and their children, Ashlyn and Fisher; her youngest son, Marshall Anderson, his wife Jennifer and their child, Harrison; and her 2 brothers, Douglass and Kerk.
The members of STN mourn the loss of Ms Beverlee. Her achievements, indeed her life, built a monument which will endure forever.