Beverly Ann Pelto

1/31/1927 — 10/20/2020

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Beverly Ann Sinclair Pelto, 93, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020, at Brookdale Senior Living in Lewiston.

She was born July 31, 1927, to Melvin and Pearl Brandvold in St. Maries. She moved with her parents at the age of 11 to Spokane, where she attended grade school. At the age of 13, she and her parents moved to Clarkston, where she graduated from CHS. Bev was an outstanding majorette and was asked to join the high school squad while she was in junior high. Not only did she embrace those years, she was able to teach baton lessons while attending school.

During high school, she met John “Jack” Sinclair from Lewiston. They were married in Clarkston in July 1944. He was the love of her life and she was his. They had two children, Rocky and Tanya. Bev worked for Dr. A. J. Michaelis in the optometry field from 1957–59 and for Dr. Klaaren as a dental assistant from 1959–62. She then went on to work for the Lewiston School District as secretary at Whitman Elementary School.

As a family, most of their adventures were growing up camping on the Locsha River. They followed and fished the river as the road (now called Lolo Pass) was being built, until they found their favorite campsite. They used to talk about who could catch the most fish but because of that, Bev cooked fish morning, noon and night so they could keep fishing. Those definitely were the good old days.

Unfortunately, on Jan. 14, 1966, a husband and dad passed away at the early age of 41, due to a massive stroke. Because Rocky was a sophomore at the University of Idaho, Tanya was a sophomore at Lewiston High School and Bev was working as secretary, she knew she needed more income.

That summer, Bev enrolled full time at Lewis-Clark State College, receiving a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 2½ years (summers included) and went on to teach until she retired in 1989. She and Tanya used to laugh because when Bev was in her senior year, Tanya was in her freshman year, passing each other in the halls. She taught Third grade at Centennial Elementary and Fourth grade at Orchards Elementary, where she retired. During her teaching years, she met a wonderful man, Frank Pelto, and they were married in 1975. Frank and Bev had some wonderful vacations and adventures together. Frank led excursion trips into Hells Canyon for Floyd Harvey and Bev used to love meeting new people from all over the country. Those trips were adventures of their own for sure. They belonged to Hells Canyon Boat club, which Bev loved planning parties and functions for. Frank passed away on April 29, 2006, leaving Bev a widow for the second time.

She had a wonderful life and as she often said, “She had two husbands who loved her dearly.” Her teaching years were her “golden years.” She loved every child she taught and came in contact with and she taught with all the passion she had to give. She always loved it when she would run into one of her former students and they would say hi. She could never figure out how they recognized her but we all knew, those former students would say she was their favorite teacher, which made her day.

Bev was a member of the Clarkston Presbyterian Church, Lewiston Dental Assistant Association, Lady of the Elks member and belonged to the Alpha Delta Kappa (teaching honorary).

She is survived by her son, Rocky (Janet) Sinclair of Desert Hills, Ariz; daughter, Tanya (Jay) Masterson of McCall; step-daughter, Karen Mathison of Battleground, Wash., and Lori Pelto of Tacoma; step-sons, Matt Pelto of Las Vegas and David Pelto of Oregon City, Ore.; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, June (Munther) Lynch; and two husbands who loved her more than life. These two husbands gave her a life full of love and happiness that only one could dream of.

We want to give a special thanks to the caring staff of Brookdale (who were like family) to mom and us, not only in her better years living there but in her final days. They gave her such loving care each and every day until she left us. Also thank you to Elite Home Health with their hospice services in her final days.

At this time, there will be no service. A celebration of life will be planned for next summer. Know she leaves these words behind, “If you can help somebody who’s in sorrow or in pain, then you can say to God at night, “My day was not in vain. And now I am content that my life was worthwhile. Knowing I passed along the way, I made somebody smile.”

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