Obituary of Beverly Jane Paaso

Beverly J. Paaso (Harju) passed away on November 18, 2020 in Minneapolis, MN.
Beverly was born on January 27, 1926 in Duluth, MN to Elma (Heikkinen) and Charles
Harju.
As a toddler Beverly was quarantined in the Nopeming Sanatorium with tuberculosis.
While there she contracted meningitis which led to her becoming legally blind. She
wasn’t able to return home until age six. She also had tuberculosis when she was 17
and again at age 26. When Beverly was again a patient at Nopeming at age 17 her
formal education stopped as they had no schooling set up at the sanatorium. In her
50’s she became the first person in Duluth to take the GED test in braille, which she
passed and became a high school graduate. She was rightfully proud of that
accomplishment.
Her poor eyesight didn’t stop her from learning to play piano and accordion by ear as
she couldn’t read music. Music was a very important part of Beverly’s life and she
continued playing until the last year of her life.
In 1945 Beverly married DW Fowler of Mississippi, and to that union a son was born.
They later divorced. Beverly married Reino J. Paaso, Sr. and to that union three
children were born.
In spite of her health and vision issues, Beverly led a very active and productive life.
When her children were young she served on the PTA at their elementary school,
taught Sunday school at First Methodist Church, was a Cub Scout Den Mother, and
became the third person in St. Louis County to become a licensed home daycare
provider. Beverly was employed by St. Louis County at the information desk in the
lobby of the courthouse from 1978 until she retired in 1988.
Beverly was a 44 year member of Trinity Chapter #242, Order of Eastern Star, and
served as Worthy Matron 1982-1983. From 1994 until 2013 Beverly served as Ruth at
Trinity Chapter in Duluth. She also served as a Grand Chapter officer for Eastern Star
in the State of MN. She loved her Star Family and spent many years volunteering for
their community activities.
Beverly was fiercely proud of her Finnish heritage and she, her sister Shirley, son Reino
and grandson Woody visited relatives in Finland and Lapland in 2000. It was a
wonderful trip for all and Beverly remained in contact with her Finnish relatives, which
brought her much joy.
Beverly is survived by son David (Nancy) Paaso, daughter Judy (Reuben) Boorman,
son Reino (Connie Nowacki) Paaso and daughter Rennette (Dean) Grace, twelve
grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She was
preceded in death by her parents, husband Reino, brother Kenneth Harju, sisters
Shirley Foro and Dorothy Daggett and granddaughter Patty Erickson.
Due to the current pandemic, a memorial service will be held in Duluth, MN in late
spring or early summer 2021. In lieu of flowers, donations may sent to the Duluth
Lighthouse for the Blind or the Minneapolis Society for the Blind.