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Beverly Ann (Jones) Kolacny passed away at Powell Valley Healthcare in Powell, on Nov. 4, 2021.
She was born in a rich farming region of Crawford County, Iowa, near Charter Oak on July 25, 1933, to Willis and Erna (Schoen) Jones. She began schooling there, which continued when the family moved to a larger farm south of Rapid City, South Dakota. Beverly graduated high school in Rapid City and soon after, she married Norman Shorb.
The next few years brought the births of Terry, Jim and Ellen, and a move to Billings, Montana. It was during those busy years she tried her hand at writing and wrote several stories of the Old West which are quite good. The press of motherhood caused her to put down her pen and turn all her efforts to raising her children for which she was superbly gifted.
While in Billings Beverly met Bill Kolacny, a square dance caller and an artist. She went where her heart led, divorced, married Bill, and the young family relocated to her parent’s huge ranch in southwestern Montana. Life was challenging there due to brutally cold winters, but the children thrived and Bev and Bill’s love brought two more children into the world, Bret and Bart. Joann would follow a few years later.
A terrible setback occurred when her ex-husband won custody of her first three children who were subjected to abuse at the hands of their stepmother. All during the children’s ordeal, Bev wrote the kids a love letter every single day to let them know of her love and her determination to bring them home. She valiantly mounted three successive court battles to ultimately win a tearful rescue through permanent custody. Joyfully reunited, the family soon resettled in the Big Horn Basin of northwestern Wyoming.
An abandoned house on several acres was bought, and over the following years Beverly labored alongside Bill, and encouraged the kids to join in the massive restoration effort, that eventually created a wonderful home, cozy outbuildings for the farm critters and a quarter-acre garden. Though the family was by official measures ‘poor,’ life on the farm was rich and wonderful. Beverly was a kind, optimistic person who always had a positive phrase at the ready: “We’ll get through this” or “We’ll find a way…” Because of her optimistic outlook and loving arms, all of her children grew to be independent and compassion-minded people.
Beverly was a sagebrush entrepreneur, inventing new ways to stretch their modest income, inviting kids on scavenging trips to harvest fruit from forgotten orchards, which was canned and enjoyed through cold winters. To ward off the chill, she knitted colorful afghans for each child and for friends.
Bill and Bev later located a small ranch on the benchlands above Clark and restored the homestead cabin there. They spent happy years in the greater Clark community and made many lasting friends there. They were friends also to wild creatures of all kinds and faithfully scattered seeds for the wild birds who lived in the area.
Beverly was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bill, her parents, Willis Jones and Erna Jones, and her son Bret.
She is survived by her children, Terry (Eve) Shorb, James (Wanda) Shorb, Ellen (Steve) Bales, Bart (Loydrena) Kolacny and Joann (Jerry) Denney, as well as 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life is planned for Beverly and Bill this summer up Wood River near a favorite hunting and camping place. Condolences to Beverly’s family can be left on her memorial page at www.BallardFH.com.
