Global Ministries is saddened to learn of the death of Beverly Ann Thompson-Travis

Beverly Ann Thompson-Travis
August 2, 1943 – March 16, 2016

Beverly Ann Thompson-Travis was born August 2, 1943 to Earl Hicks Travis and LaVina Mae (Thompson) Travis in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After graduating from Washington High School, she attended the University of Northern Iowa, where she obtained her Bachelor and Masters Degrees (1967). Her Masters Degree in Higher Education focused on Student Personnel Administration. Beverly served as Residence Hall Director at the University of Northern Iowa, and Michigan State University. She worked for several years at Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri in a variety of roles relating to Student Life, ending as Dean of Student Affairs. 

Beverly felt a strong call to ministry at an early age—a time when few denominations ordained women. When ordination became a possibility, she enrolled in Yale Divinity School and Berkeley School of Divinity at Yale. She received her Masters of Divinity in 1980.  She was ordained in 1983 at Riverside United Church of Christ in New York City. Beverly did her Clinical Pastoral Education at Bellevue and Columbia -Presbyterian Hospital s in New York City. 

Beverly served as Executive Associate for Programming for the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia in New York City from 1980 – 1982. She was responsible for all the Asian Women’s Colleges, from Pakistan to the Philippines. From January 1983 to July 1985 she served as Director for Ecumenical Ministries in Higher Education for the Council of Churches in the City of New York. Feeling the pull of the international community once again, she began working for the United Church Board for World Ministries (UCBWM), today Global Ministries, with the Southern Asia Desk, from August 1986 to June, 1990, serving in administrative and program roles.  Beverly also served as local pastor for the First United Church of Christ in Bayonne, New Jersey during her years with the UCBWM.  

Returning to Cedar Rapids in 1992 at the request of her mother, Beverly was Chaplain at Coe College and Iowa State University. She served as Associate Conference Minister for the Iowa Conference of the United Church of Christ and as Interim Minister for eastern Iowa United Church of Christ Congregations. In 2004 she became Chaplain for St. Luke’s Hospice. 

Beverly became an Associate of the Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Iowa in 2003. During her years in Iowa, Beverly served on many advisory boards. Her favorite was the University of Iowa Department of Religion Advisory Board, where she was still serving at the time of her death. She also published many professional articles throughout her lifetime. 

Beverly is survived by her good friend, Ruth Cox OSF, her Clinton Franciscan Family, her cousins, and her faithful companion, (English Cocker spaniel) Hepburn and his feline friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are welcomed to The Sisters of St. Francis, 843 Thirteenth Avenue, Clinton Iowa 52732-5115 or online at http://www.clintonfranciscans.com/support-us.html, designated for The Peace Center.