Obituary of Anastasia Bevier

Anastasia Bevier, long time Salinas resident born April,1924 has passed away this March, 2021 at the age of 97. She is survived by daughters Mary Lou and Maggie, sons John and Joe, and grandchildren Jackson and Ariel.

Anastasia or “Stasia” as she is known to her friends led an idyllic childhood in Latrobe, Pennsylvania supported by her mother Mary Zavlaris who cooked and baked professionally and taught Stasia to always give to those less fortunate; and father Nick Zavlaris who owned his own bowling alley and granted her every wish. She was editor of her Middle and High School newspapers, and went on to receive a BA in Journalism from the University of Michigan. On the train to Michigan she also met her future husband Jack Bevier. The story goes that they met standing on a crowded train during WWII, when Stasia let a very drowsy Jack in uniform sit on her suitcase to rest. Little did she know he was tired from visiting another girl! The two hit it off and soon became an item themselves. They courted by letter while Jack served oversees. After the war they continued their romance in Chicago where Jack studied at the Chicago Art Institute and Stasia began her professional career as an editor at various publishing houses, assisting in the publishing of Charlotte’s Web by EB White. Jack and Stasia married in June 1948. After the birth of their first child a few years later, they decided to escape the cold winters of Chicago and head out west to raise a growing family in the temperate Salinas Valley.

Stasia was always busy, but will be remembered by her family as a supportive mom who raised her children in a true “Ozzy and Harriet” 50’s style loving home. She was a devout Christian and active in Saint Ansgar’s Lutheran Church, and later the Church of the Good Shepherd, always serving on committees to help others locally and around the world. Stasia also excelled at her professional career as Director of Salinas Camp Fire Girls, President of the Mission Park PTA, and as Supervising Editor at McGraw Hill in Monterey. On her “day’s off” she could be found at the Bevier Gallery in Carmel supporting her husband’s watercolor career.

It was important for Stasia to do for others. She was instrumental in starting and supporting “Dorothy’s Place”, a Salinas program to feed the homeless as well as “Women Alive”, a program where she helped organize area churches to provide housing and meals for homeless women. As a writer herself, she greatly admired Steinbeck and volunteered and served on the board of the Steinbeck House and with the Steinbeck Museum in Salinas where she helped raise money for local charities. A Salinas Californian newspaper clipping titled, "Walking in the Footsteps of Genius" was about Stasia Bevier leading Steinbeck tours through the streets of Salinas for the Steinbeck festival. But, the heading could have been about Stasia Bevier herself. She truly led a life well lived, giving of herself to needy causes too many to mention.

She will be remembered as an intelligent and active woman full of “joie de vivre” which she showered on her family and community.

Unfortunately due to Covid-19 no services are planned at this time. She would appreciate you donating what you can to your favorite charity to help others.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.