Obituary of Beverley Shirleen Basdeo

BEVERLEY SHIRLEEN BASDEO Born on November 14, 1950 and passed away on August 17, 2012 at the age of 61. She was predeceased by her father Harry Young. Left to mourn were those who deeply loved her; mother, Jean Young , Brandon, MB, her husband for 41 happy years, Sahadeo Basdeo , Kelowna, BC, three sons: Narin (Louise and son William), Nassau, Bahamas, Deven (Vindira), Trinidad and Kristen (Sheri and son Sanjay), Kelowna, BC and only brother, Mervin Young ( Katherine, Amber and Paul), Muskegon, Michigan, USA. Aunts Anne Rose (Allan), Brandon, MB, Shirley Yacyshen (Tony), Dauphin, MB, cousins and a number of very close friends. Beverley was a wonderful daughter, wife and mother who adored her family "beyond the heavenly planets." She will be remembered as a kind, loving and caring human being. Beverley spent a happy childhood with her younger brother Mervin on the family farm near Fairfax, Manitoba, attending Fairfax, Minto and Boissevain schools. Upon graduation, she moved to Brandon University where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts earning the Brandon University Gold Medal, as well as the Silver Medal in History and the Peter D and Una B Cameron Memorial Scholarship. Here, she met her future husband Sahadeo, and upon her graduation they married and moved to Calgary to continue their education working on Masters degrees. They subsequently lived in Halifax where Sahadeo earned his Doctorate degree at Dalhousie University. Here, Beverley joined the Canadian Public Service as Senior Classification Agent, first for the Atlantic region and later being transferred to Winnipeg for the Prairie Provinces. During 18 months of this time, they resided in London, England where Beverley worked for the Canadian High Commission while Sahadeo spent time at Cambridge and Oxford doing research. While living in Winnipeg, their son Narin was born, and it was from here they moved to Trinidad where Sahadeo took a position as Professor of History at the University of West Indies. During their time in Trinidad, sons Deven and Kristen joined the family, both being born in Brandon, MB when Beverley would return to Canada to visit her parents. During Beverley's 18 years in Trinidad, she worked at the Canadian High Commission as head of the Canadian International Development Agency in charge of the Canada Fund to help improve the lives of the poor and underprivileged. During this time, she was honoured to meet the Queen on the Royal Yacht Britannia and also another time dining with numerous political dignitaries, along with her husband, as the guest of Princess Anne on the Royal Yatcht when she visited Trinidad as Patron of Trinidad's Queen's Park Savanah. After many pleasant years living in Trinidad, the family moved to Kelowna where both Beverley and Sahadeo worked at the University of BC. Her funeral service took place on Saturday, August 25, 2012 at 1 p.m. in Kelowna at Springfield Memorial Chapel, 2020 Springfield Road, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 5V8 with interment at Brandon Cemetery, Brandon, MB, September 11, 2012 with Arlene Robertson officiating, followed by a time of visiting at Brockie Donovan Fellowship Centre. God saw that you were tired And knew it was your time, He closed your weary eyelids And said "Peace Be Thine" We loved you and will miss you dearly.