Beryl (Wheelock) Evans

Ilion - Beryl Ann Evans entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, December 28, 2021, with family at her side.

Beryl was born August 25, 1940, one of nine children to her late parents Donald and Bertha (Clements) Wheelock. Growing up on a rural farm during World War II had its challenges, but the family pulled together to overcome them.  

Beryl enjoyed a lengthy career at General Electric, later Lockheed Martin, working in Materials Management until her retirement in 1996 when the Utica plant closed. It was at GE that she met her husband Lawrence “Larry” Evans. The two enjoyed 32 years of marriage until Larry’s passing in 1993, Beryl always kept those fond memories in her heart. 

Beryl excelled at homemaking as well as golf and bowling. A “scratch” golfer, she enjoyed being a member of Skenendoa and Cedar Lake Country Clubs and trying out many other courses. Beryl was admitted to the Utica Bowling Association 600 Club.  She enjoyed maintaining her property, gardening and manicuring the lawn on her John Deere tractor.

Above all, Beryl’s faith was an important part of her life. She was an active member of the St. James Episcopal congregation until moving from Clinton. When she relocated to Ilion in 1996 to be closer to her family, she converted to Catholicism to celebrate mass with her sisters and became active in Our Lady Queen of Apostles Church, Frankfort, as a Eucharistic Minister. She truly appreciated the opportunity to bring the Eucharist to the homebound. Beryl served as Sextant of Litchfield Cemetery, Litchfield, Oak View Cemetery and Mt. Olivet Cemetery both of Frankfort for many years.

Since 2019, she’s made new friends at Brookdale Memory Care in Clinton and Waterville Residential Center. Although she resided in these facilities for assistance with her memory needs, she still had a strong desire to remain useful and to assist others to any extent that she could. The family is grateful for the support the staff of both facilities provided for Beryl, particularly in light of COVID visitation limitations. 

Beryl is survived by her siblings and their spouses, Esther (Ed) Hays, Ward (Audrey) Wheelock, Cindy Wheelock, Lyle (Gloria) Wheelock, Bernie (Olivia) Wheelock, Leon Wheelock, and Donna (Darryl) Gillette. She enjoyed being an aunt to her many nieces and nephews, and remained especially close with nieces Becky Dye, Kathy Eilts, Kristin West and Patti Hays. Also always close in her heart was the memory of her late son Bradley “Brad” who passed in 1978.  She was predeceased by siblings/in-laws Ethel (Stanley) Lupinski, Donald Wheelock, and Carol Ann Wheelock.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday morning, January 4, 2022 at 10:30 in Our Lady Queen of Apostles Church, S. Frankfort Street, Frankfort  by the Rev. Paul Catena, Pastor. To all attending her Mass, the family asks that masks be worn. Burial will be at Forest Hill Cemetery at the convenience of the family. There will be no public calling hours. Her funeral arrangements are under the direction of the V.J. Iocovozzi Funeral Home, Inc. 203 Second Ave., Frankfort

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Beryl's memory may be made to Anita's Steven Swan Humane Society, 5664 Horatio St, Utica, NY 13502 in support of her love of dogs as well as Our Lady Queen of Apostles Church, 412 S. Frankfort St., Frankfort, NY 13340, St. James Episcopal Church, 9 Williams St, Clinton, NY 13323 or any of the care facilities.  

Expressions of sympathy may be placed on Beryl’s online memorial page by going to www.iocovozzifuneralhomes.com