Beverly Ashley Broyles was born in Alameda, California and received a BA Degree in Art from San Jose State University and a MS Degree in Art Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has lived in Eugene, Oregon; Marlow on Thames, England; Chelmsford and Concord, Massachusetts; Oak Ridge and Knoxville, Tennessee; Hallowell, Camden and Kennebunk, Maine; and now lives in Churchill’s Grove, Rockford, Illinois.
Her career began as a children’s book illustrator and free-lance graphic designer. Her son Christopher was born in Eugene, Oregon; son Gregory was born in Fremont, California; and youngest son Timothy was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Following the birth of her sons, she worked for The Editors, an Advertising Agency in Lowell, Massachusetts. She became involved with the nonprofit world when Christopher auditioned for the role of Bartholomew and the Oobleck in a children’s theater production at age 7. The children’s theater, and subsequent theaters, learned that she could design programs, sew costumes and paint sets! That involvement continued with positions as Executive Director of the Oak Ridge Arts Council; Manager of the Junior Playhouse, Oak Ridge Community Playhouse; General Manager of the Oak Ridge Community Playhouse; and Curator of Education and Public Programs Director at the Knoxville Museum of Art. While in Maine Broyles was Executive Director of the Johnson Hall Center for the Performing Arts; Curator of Education at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art; and Executive Director of River Tree Center for the Arts.
Beverly moved to Rockford Illinois to be closer to her sons who all lived in Chicago, to take the position of Executive Director of Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum and Gardens. Interestingly enough, once living in Rockford, she discovered that her maternal grandmother (Ruth Burkhart) and great grandmother (Laura Dickover) were born in Freeport, and her maternal great grandfather and maternal great, great grandparents, (Jacob and Sophia Burkhart) lived in Rockford. Following that position she became the Executive Director of the Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center. After two and half years as Director of Development and Communications at the YWCA Rock County in Janesville, Wisconsin, she has returned to Rockford as Director of Development and Communications for Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful.
Son Christopher is married to Jacky Woods and lives in Chicago. They have twin daughters Emerson and Josephine (13 ¾) and son Nathaniel (8). Son Gregory is married to Shelby Lessman and lives in Park Ridge, IL. They have one daughter, Shaeleigh (6). Son Timothy is still single and lives in Chicago. Beverly loves living near her children and enjoys being with them and the grandchildren. She loves playing golf with two golf groups, Par None and One Fore the Girls. She is a watercolor artist and has exhibited her work in the Greenwich Village Art Fair for the past four years.