Beverly Jeane Saruwatari

December 22, 1947 - June 27, 2009

Beverly Jeane Saruwatari Obituary Of Spokane died unexpectedly on June 27, 2009. A memorial service will be Friday, July 10, at 2 p.m. at Highland Park United Methodist Church located at 611 South Garfield in Spokane. Beverly was born to Mike and Jean Saruwatari in Spokane on Dec. 22, 1947. She graduated from North Central High School in 1966. An honor roll student, she played the flute and was a member of the high school marching band. She graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in education. In 1969 she married Steve Melcher and they had three sons - Jerud, Ryan and Travis. She began her teaching career at Central Valley School District. In 1986 she started teaching for Spokane School District 81 at Sheridan Elementary. While teaching second grade at Sheridan, she received the District 81 Distinguished Teacher Award. From 1990-1993 she worked as a staff development coordinator. She earned her master's degree from Eastern Washington University in 1990 and then returned to the classroom. In 1997 she went to Japan as part of the sister city teacher exchange program with the Nishinomiya school district. She returned to Spokane in 1998 as a teacher at Hamblen Elementary, where she taught until her death. Her hobbies included world traveling, cooking, gardening, and recently-acquired a passion for boating with her partner, Thomas Stuart. She is preceeded in death by her son Ryan and parents Mike and Jean Saruwatari. She is survived by her sons Jerud Melcher and Travis Melcher and his fiance Jennifer Nichols all of Spokane; a sister Diane Tokugawa (Jerry) of California; brothers Steven and Mike Saruwatari, both of Spokane; nieces Dawn Rowe (Tim) and Kai Tokugawa; grandnephews Jayden and Izaih Rowe and partner, Thomas Stuart of Spokane.