Beverley's Family History
Growing Up in Kemptville
Beverley grew up in Kemptville, Ontario, the daughter of William Edward “Ted” Bush and Ada Maude Dickinson. Her parents met at a baseball game — her mother was catching and her father was the umpire. It was, as Bev tells it, love sparked across home plate.
Bev's mother was a Registered Nurse, trained at Kingston General Hospital. Her maternal grandfather's family came from Northern Ireland, and her grandmother was a Spencer — possibly from the town of Spencerville, Ontario.
A Bright Student
Bev started Grade 1 at just five years old in 1949. Her intelligence was evident early — she was advanced from Grade 4 directly to Grade 6, entered high school at age 12, and graduated at 16. This academic determination would shape her lifelong love of learning.
Early Career & Passions
After graduating, Bev moved to Ottawa and worked at the Bank of Canada, living at the YWCA during that time. She then attended the National Business College before beginning her career at National Life Assurance Co., where she worked until she and Gord were married. Outside of work, she was a dedicated athlete and artist — taking dance lessons in Highland, tap, and ballet, performing in dance shows, and excelling across multiple sports. She also developed a lifelong love of music that has remained a constant source of joy throughout her life.
A Heart for Others
Perhaps most defining was Bev's deep empathy, rooted in childhood experiences. This compassion became the foundation for the family's extensive charitable work — a thread that connects Bev's upbringing in small-town Ontario to the millions of dollars the Tallman family would eventually give to hospitals, universities, churches, and communities across Canada.
Bev's story reminds us that the roots of generosity are often planted in the simple moments of a small-town childhood.
“Mom the Magnificent”
A speech by her son Mike at Bev's 80th birthday
I am here to talk about one of the world's greatest magicians, Mom the Magnificent, Grandma the Glorious, celebrating her 80th birthday. The magician that can make the extraordinary, ordinary.
Mom the Magnificent made it look so easy, allowing us to grow up in a safe, loving home, making sure we had 3 meals a day, a clean house, clean clothes, it all seemed ordinary to us. I never understood how extraordinary it was until I grew up and we tried to master the same tricks. It's hard. When you're tired, exhausted from one of the little kids being up all night, or sick, or they're worried about school, or when the kids are older, still worried about the kids being up all night, or sick, or worried about school, it's not easy to keep the magic going, to make it ordinary while the world keeps spinning and bringing new challenges. It's extraordinary. Mom the Magnificent, Grandma the Glorious did it with style and never a complaint. Food appeared, laundry was washed, rooms were cleaned. We were loved. Magic.
And Mom had bigger tricks up her sleeve. Once she created our magic world, she taught how to live in it.
Mom taught us how to treat others, especially our partners. To treat everyone with understanding and respect, never look down on anyone or believe anyone is lesser because of their current struggles. Like a great teacher, she didn't lecture, she walked the walk. She showed us how to behave. And when we struggled with our lessons, when we still struggle with our lessons, she is always there.
For me, Mom the Magnificent's greatest appearance was her magic show in New Zealand, appearing from out of nowhere while we were struggling with Matthew in Intensive Care, half a world away from any other family. Mom appeared and worked her magic. She turned a crazy, scary time in our life back to normal and allowed us to catch our breath, to bring Matty home and start creating our own magic show. In case I forgot to say it at the time. Thanks Mom.
Now I have many more magical stories of Mom the Magnificent, Grandma the Glorious as she continues to work her magic to this very day, but that's enough for now, and I will end with a short quote from Betty White:
“It's not easy being a mom. If it were easy, fathers would do it.”
Family Heritage
Parents
- Father: William Edward “Ted” Bush
- Mother: Ada Maude Dickinson (RN, Kingston General Hospital)
Heritage
- Maternal: Northern Ireland (Dickinson family)
- Grandmother: A Spencer, possibly from Spencerville, ON
- Hometown: Kemptville, Ontario