Beverly Ellstrom was originally from Minnesota’s Iron Range. As a young adult, she was drawn to Duluth, leaving her home and her mother behind to seek her future. Beverly secured a job at the Duluth News Tribune. For forty-six years, she worked in the accounting department, where she participated in the transition from adding machines and manual typewriters to calculators and personal computers.
Once she retired, Beverly did not slow down. She was an active member of several community groups. She had many friends, and neighbors knew they could count on her for a ride to the doctor or the grocery store. She was close to her mother, Louise. She had no children.
When she died in 2010, Beverly left a bequest to the Duluth Library Foundation. Her generous gift reflected the value she placed on the library and on leaving a legacy. In 2012 a plaque commemorating Beverly and her mother, Louise Ellstrom, was placed on the Foundation Donor Wall at the library.
Beverly’s gift of nearly $69,000 was added to the Duluth Library Foundation’s endowment, where it will continue to generate income for the library in perpetuity. Her gift will help to sustain the life-changing work of the library for generations to come.
