Good morning.  My name is Ron and I’m Kelly’s oldest brother, and this is Stephanie, one of Kelly’s dearest friends.   We are here to celebrate with you the life of a truly amazing young woman who’s light continues to shine though she has left us way too soon. 

On behalf of my family and all of Kelly’s friends, we would like to thank each of you for coming today and for the amazing outpouring of support and love that you have shown us this week.   You have expressed your sympathy to us, and your concern and love.  You  should know that you have our deepest sympathy as well and we are very sorry for  your loss.   For those who were able to attend last night, thank you.  It was really something to talk with so many people who had known or been touched by Kelly

Kelly was born on November 11, 1984 and for the most part, grew up here in West Chester where she  graduated from Lakota East in 2003.   In August of 2008, she graduated from Ohio State and on May 12 of this coming year, Kelly would have graduated from the nursing program at Good Sam.   She worked at Meijer for about as long as I can remember and worked for two years at St. Aloicious Orphanage prior to starting nursing school.  Kelly had just completed her second week in a job she was very excited about as a personal care assistant at Bethesda North, following in Mom’s footsteps. 

Along the way, Kelly loved life and brought light and laughter to those around her.  She was adored by her parents, family and an amazing extended family of friends and co-workers.   It is said that the wealth of a person can be measured by the quantity and quality of their friends.  Kelly may have been the wealthiest person I know.

Even from the very beginning Kelly was bringing excitement to those around her.  You wouldn’t have known it 26 years later, but Kelly was supposed to be a boy… well at least that’s what the ultrasound showed and what the family believed during the entire pregnancy.   For Stacy, a 6 year old who wanted a little sister all along,  Kelly’s birth was her first miracle.  

As a child, Kelly was much as we know her now.   Her smile was constant from day one and you couldn’t miss her with her wild, crazy curly blond hair.  She loved holidays, especially Christmas and it wasn’t long before she was playing dress up, shopping and hanging out, whether it was with her cousins or friends from school.   

Stacy, Matt and I were blessed to have Kelly as our little sister.  As we grew up together, Kelly would change from the little girl who always wanted to be around us and play with our friends,  to a woman who truly was our friend that we always wanted to be around.   We cracked codes on Christmas morning together, we hated Michigan together and recently we said goodbye to our Mom together.   

It was while Mom was sick that I really began to admire Kelly.   She didn’t hesitate for a second to repeatedly put her own life on hold to be with Mom and Dad while they needed her the most.  And though she took on burdens no 24 year old should ever have to bear, she was still somehow managed to stay positive and smile.  The word Faith became a part of who she was, and she carried it not only on a tattoo on her wrist, but in her actions each day.

Though she never had children of her own, Kelly was a natural.  Emma, Grant, Ben, Henry, Logan and Gabby loved their Aunt Kelly.   She was always the first to hold a baby, or draw a picture, or play Thomas the train for hours with the boys.  They would jump on her lap, usually more than one kid at a time, dress her up in hats and makeup and make her parade around the house pushing strollers.  The kids loved carving pumpkins with her, and baking Christmas cookies, some that turned out better than others, and just being around her.   Emma, who is nearly seven, loved the bling, her jewelry and shared in Kelly’s love of all things pink.      Of all of the things I’ll miss about Kelly, it is that our kids will not have the opportunity to know her the way that we have that saddens me the most.   They have lost a playmate, a friend and a true role model.

Kelly,  knowing you has truly been a great gift, and while I will miss you terribly, I will also forever cherish the memory of your laughter and your kindness.  You have been such an inspiration to me and those around you  and I am now, as I always have been, honored to be your brother.   We Love you Kelly.

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How does someone even begin to describe Kelly Beerman? She TRULY was one of a kind. Loving her was completely effortless. As her father said, it was “automatic.” It just came naturally. She smiled the instant she started speaking and it was always contagious. Kelly, without a doubt, lit up a room.

With the most charismatic and bubbly personality, she found a way to make good of everything. How lucky we are to have known such a genuine, compassionate human being. Many of us have said that we didn’t know another person with more friends than Kelly Beerman. And not just acquaintances, they were true friends. Staying in touch with people wasn’t just a priority for Kelly, it was a way of life. She was the quintessential party planner. She never missed the opportunity to celebrate someone else’s milestones and bring us together. Every excuse from “big girl jobs” to the first day of the season was a reason to live it up. Kelly was undeniably our social glue, creating and strengthening the bonds of many different friendships.

When you got to know Kelly, even just a little bit, you would immediately discover how thoughtful she was. Kelly was selfless. She always wanted to have fun but never lost the drive to give back to people. From being an alter girl, to organizing Relay For Life, or being an active American Heritage Girl alumni to working at St. Aloicious orphanage, or completely changing her career path to nursing. Kelly had a servant’s heart. She cared about EVERYONE.  She was always concerned with how YOU were doing, with how YOUR life was before speaking of herself.

Kelly had a zest for life that none of us could match. Not only did we go to her for personal advice, but she was our fashion guru. Vibrant and bright, she had an accessory for every occasion, every color, and every trend. Kelly made a room sparkle with her style and charm. You couldn’t help but be dazzled by her and her enthusiastic character. She had a laundry list of quirky attributes that would spice up any day.

Fake southern accents, infectious laughter, ridiculous dance moves, the Kelly head shake, her corny Kellysims like “love you, love your show,” her love for summer hats and sunglasses that were big. Really big.

For all of these reasons, you are here today because you loved Kelly and Kelly loved you. Whether the last time you spoke to her was a few days ago or a few years ago, you are a better person because you knew Kelly Beerman. She has done so much for each of us and now it’s time for us to do something for her. Kelly, we’ve created your bucket list and it is our promise to you that we will check off each and every item – yes, even the horseback riding, pink poker night and the murder mystery dinner. It is clear to us now that you planned these things to help us live our lives to the fullest, and for that, we are forever grateful.

Ultimately, Kelly told us to have faith…faith that something bigger than us was in control, and faith that we would all make it out ok. Perhaps it was faith that gave Kelly all of these enchanting qualities and her absolute passion for living each day as if it were a holiday. As Kelly left this world, she left us with faith as her precious gift. So take this faith, use this faith, embrace this faith. Make it a part of your daily life so that you can live as unforgettably as Kelly has.