Beverly Bringle, of Concord, passed away March 12, 2025, at age 86.
She was born on April 28, 1938, in Covington, Tennessee, the youngest child of Mary Culberson Bringle and Hughes Bringle. She cherished her small-town roots and maintained lifelong friendships with many of the children she grew up with. Beverly had a rare gift for making friends and keeping connections alive across decades and places — she will be remembered with love by many.
A gifted artist and dedicated teacher, Beverly studied at Tulane University’s Newcomb College and earned a bachelor’s in art education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She continued her studies at the Memphis Academy of Art and years later at the University of Guanajuato, Mexico, where she earned a master of fine arts degree.
She began her teaching career in the Memphis public schools, but her adventurous spirit soon led her north to New England. When a childhood friend shared a lead on teaching jobs in Massachusetts, Beverly enthusiastically joined the journey and soon landed the job that would become her life’s work and a source of deep fulfillment — teaching art in Stoneham, where she inspired generations of students with her talent, warmth, and passion for making art.
Beverly’s work has been exhibited both locally and internationally in juried shows and galleries. A lifelong learner, she traveled extensively in Europe and Mexico, studying art, sketching, and making photographs along the way. She spent a year living in Mexico on sabbatical, studying at the Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende — an experience that deeply influenced her work.
At home in Concord, where she eventually settled, Beverly was an integral part of the local arts community, sharing her life for over 30 years with her beloved partner, photographer Ivan Massar. Together, they traveled widely, always eager to explore new cultures and landscapes. Their shared curiosity, adventurous spirit, and quirky sense of humor made them perfect companions.
Beverly was deeply involved in her community. She was an active member of the First Parish Church, where she volunteered regularly in the office and was part of the small-group ministry for decades, offering comfort and support to others.
Beverly was a registered member of the Choctaw Nation. Her great-grandfather John “Tushpa” Culberson was among the first Choctaw people to arrive in Skullyville County (later Oklahoma) in 1832, following their forced removal from ancestral homelands during the infamous Trail of Tears. More than 150 years later, Beverly illustrated “Rising Fawn and the Fire Mystery” by Marilou Awiakta, a story about a native child taken from her parents during Indian Removal. Beverly preserved her family’s historical papers to be donated to an archive dedicated to preserving the history of the Choctaw Nation.
Beverly was preceded in death by her sister, Martha Hughes Bringle, who passed away when Beverly was still a child; her brother, Walter Bringle, who died in 2017; and her beloved partner, Ivan Massar, who passed in 2014. She is survived by her stepdaughter, Andrea Massar; stepson David Massar; daughter-in-law Maya Massar; niece Mary Catherine Pugh; nephew Philip Bringle (Lisa Paulson); grandchildren Fern Massar, Lindsey Massar, and Casey Massar; great-grandchild Ami Massar Abalos; grand-nephew Cameron Bringle; dear friends Ellen Jacobs and family, and Jeannie Abbott; and by scores of others near and far too numerous to name.
A celebration of Beverly’s life will be held on the morning of Saturday, June 28th at First Parish in Concord. The time will be announced soon on Dee Funeral Home’s website.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to First Parish or Partners in Health.
Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. To share a remembrance or offer a condolence on Beverly’s tribute page, visit DeeFuneralHome.com.
