Gerry Beaty, age 90, a long time resident of Kernville passed away on Feb. 5, 2010, surrounded by her loving family. She is survived by her daughter, Madeleine Shewalter and her sons, Joseph Modes and Jim Stirwalt as well as numerous grand and great grand children. Her husband, Wendel Beaty, passed away in April of last year.

Gerry was born in Pasadena, Calif. and attended schools in Glendale, where she raised her family. She was married to Harry Allan Stirwalt (a B-17 pilot in World War II who was killed in June, 1943 during a bombing run over Kiel, Germany). The couple had one son, Jim. She remarried to Edward ‘Jim” Modes (also a WWII era Air Force fighter pilot) who passed away in Arizona several years ago. Gerry and Jim had three children, Cathy (deceased), Madeleine and Joe.

In the mid 1960s, Gerry married Wendel Beaty and they subsequently moved to Wofford Heights and then to Kernville, where they spent the last 30 years together. She worked at the Kern Valley Hospital in Mt. Mesa for several years and enjoyed her retirement residing along the Kern River. Private memorial services pending.