Beverly Blake

After a long illness, Beverly Anne Blake, 82, of Naples, passed peacefully with family in attendance at the Gosnell Hospice House in Scarborough on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018.

“Bev” was born on May 22, 1936 to Bertha and Harold Valley in Denmark. She attended local schools, including Potter Academy.

In 1953, Bev married Donald Smith of Bridgton. She became mother to Geary Smith of Rockland, Don Smith (deceased) of Ft. Worth, Texas and David Valley of Oxford.

After becoming a single mother to three children under the age of seven, she provided a great life for them all by holding down many jobs. Among her favorites were as baker at Pleasant Mountain (jumbo glazed donuts), field manager for the Jamaican pickers at Five Fields Farm apple orchard in South Bridgton, and doing camp laundry for Camps Millbrook, Acamac and Wyonegonic.

Her passions in life were her faith, her family and her gardens. She leaves dozens of friends and extended family missing her.

Bev was predeceased by her parents; son Don; a granddaughter; brothers Sherwin, Richard and Earle Valley; and sisters Louise Frost and Gertrude Johnson.

She is survived by sons Geary and David; sisters Shirley Dionne and Sandra Haley; 11 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and dozens of nieces and nephews who she considered her “other children.”

A private memorial will be held in the spring.

In lieu of flowers, Bev would encourage you to do something nice for someone who needs a hand.