November 13, 2020

Beatrice Everson Cope, beloved educator, writer, playwright, and mother, died Wednesday, Nov. 4. She was 95.

Beatrice was born on Dec. 20, 1924, in Stoughton, Wisc. to Arthur and Stella Everson. At the height of the Great Depression, her father abandoned the family on Christmas day when she was 12.  Beatrice grew up in Stoughton, Wisconsin with her Norwegian grandparents before moving to Wausau Wisconsin to be with her mother and attend high school.

She went on to take correspondence classes at the University of Wisconsin and worked in an arms factory during World War II to save money to enroll in the University of Chicago where she received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English literature and began work on her Ph.D. She taught English at Valparaiso University, the University of Chicago, Ohio State University, and the University of Delaware before joining the faculty at Sanford School in Hockessin, where she worked for over twenty years. There she was the delight of her students who developed a lifelong love of Shakespeare and the world of literature thanks to having Mrs. Cope as their teacher and mentor. She found that sharing her joy in learning and love of literature with her Sanford students the high point of her career.

Her play, The Magic Horse, was produced in 1960 in Chicago, complete with a live horse on stage during performances. In recent years, living in Kennett Square Pennsylvania with her daughter, she authored and edited children’s books.  

Beatrice will be remembered for her empathy and compassion as well as her brilliance and humor.  Her life was defined by love. Her passions in life included her family and friends, animals — especially her dogs, gardening, Italy (where she lived for several years), music (Beethoven to the Beatles), Art, murder mysteries, Bogart films, literature, and black coffee. But most of all she loved helping others, especially through teaching.  While working at The Sanford School she had the yearbook dedicated to her multiple times.  Afterward, she kept in contact with many of her former students and enjoyed sharing stories of their progress with her family

She is survived by her two children: Thomas and Cynthia; four grandchildren, Alexander, Elizabeth, Jacqueline, and Jeremy; her niece, Barbara Everson, her nephew John Everson, and her beloved friends. She was preceded in death by her brother Arthur J. Everson who died in April 2017.

Funeral and burial services are tentatively planned for late spring 2021 at the Little Point Sable Church, Little Point Sable, Mich.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made in her name to Sanford School 6900 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, DE 19707 , or The American Humane Association 1400 16th Street NW, Suite 360 Washington, DC 20036.

Arrangements by the Kuzo Funeral Home, Kennett Square.

 

Patricia Nilan Konitzer, 80, of Kennett Square, died Nov. 4 of complications of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, unrelated to COVID-19. She was surrounded by her loving family who gently escorted her into eternal life. For the last year of her life, she had been living with her son, Patrick, in Ringtown, Pa., two hours north of Kennett Square.

Born Nov. 7, 1939, in Kennett Square on South Broad Street in the same house she would later raise her four sons, she was the only daughter among four children of the late James A Nilan Sr. and Miriam E. Broomhall. She was a proud graduate of the class of 1957 at Kennett High School. After high school, she would marry the late Paul A. Konitzer, move to Florida, and become a full-time mother to four boys: Paul Jr., Patrick, Kevin, and the late David Konitzer. However, she would ultimately divorce and return to her birth home in Kennett Square where she quickly entered the workforce as an administrative assistant, known then as secretaries, while she and her mother, Miriam, together raised her four boys. She excelled at her job working for more than 30 years at only two different companies. She also worked and loved her second job as a waitress at the old Unionville Inn. She worked every Tuesday and Saturday night without complaint for decades at the well-known restaurant. Later in life, after retiring as a secretary, she would be employed as a companion to elderly persons with physical and cognitive disabilities endearing herself to many families of her clients.

Despite this diligent work ethic to provide for her sons, she managed to attend many of their athletic events and activities over the years and never missed any of their major life events. She was proud that they would go on to become a doctor, two teachers and a small businessman/entrepreneur. Work was not her entire life though. Despite her commitment to her sons, she loved to travel with friends and family and managed to travel far and wide. She visited most countries in Western Europe as well as Greenland, Iceland, Canada, even the Arctic Circle as well as several nations in the Caribbean. She traveled through practically all the states including Alaska and Hawaii. If there was a casino in any of these locations, she would find herself there late into the evening, frequently emptying the contents of her pocketbook but occasionally taking home a reasonably sized jackpot. Her favorite place on earth was likely Las Vegas, NV. She even enjoyed going to the casinos of Pennsylvania with her son up until just weeks before her death. Her second to last trip resulted in her winning a small jackpot while playing her favorite slot machine (Tarzan).

Devoted to her sons, she was struck by tragedy in 1995 when her youngest beloved son, David, was killed in a traffic accident. Amazingly, she worked hard to quickly establish a scholarship in his memory to provide support for financially needy students from Chester County to assist them in attending West Chester University, David’s honorary alma mater. The memorial fund continues to award an annual scholarship to a student up to this day.

In the end, she was loved by family and friends, especially her sons, beyond what she could ever imagine and beyond what they could ever have expressed to her. She will be sorely missed but the memory of her diligent work ethic, devotion to her family and friends, especially her sons, will be forever remembered and celebrated.

Patricia was preceded in death by her parents James A. Sr. and Miriam Nilan, her brother James A. Nilan Jr.and her son David S. Konitzer. She is survived by her sons, Paul Konitzer of Millsboro, Del., Patrick Konitzer of Ringtown, and Kevin Konitzer of Wilmington, along with her brothers David Nilan of Kennett Square, and Thomas Nilan of Newark. She is also survived by her beloved grandchildren: Joshua Konitzer, Natalia Konitzer, David, and Daniel Konitzer along with multiple nieces and nephews.

Friends will be received on Saturday, Nov. 28 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Kuzo Funeral Home, 250 W. State St., Kennett Square, PA 19348.  A Mass of Christian Burial will follow on Saturday, Nov. 28, at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick Church, 212 Meredith St., Kennett Square, PA 19348 with inurnment to follow at St. Patrick Cemetery, Kennett Square.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, Patricia asked donations be made to the West Chester University Foundation for the David S. Konitzer Scholarship. Please make donations payable to the West Chester University Foundation, In Memo: David S Konitzer Scholarship and mail to 202 Carter Drive, West Chester, PA 19382.  Arrangements by the Kuzo Funeral Home, Kennett Square.

Timothy Todd McFalls died at home Nov. 11, at age 57 as a result of a cancer diagnosis he received just six months ago. He is survived by his wife, Theresa; children Morgan (Amanda), Devin (Randi), Anthony, Daniel, and Kristin. He also leaves sisters Jenny, Heather (Tom), Kristyn (Pat), and a brother, Jack (Pauline).

Tim was a man who gave his all to whatever he was doing. He loved his family and friends truly unconditionally, enjoyed his job very much, indulged in good music, good wine, and good company.  His wife will remember him as a partner who worked to make this life count, make it memorable, and make it full of happiness.

Tim left us with some thoughts for living our very best life:

Spend time, not money. Time with family and friends is always well spent and means much more than things that can be purchased.

Give of your time and talents to others and know that it will come back to you tenfold.

Be a good human: take emotional care of those you love, do good deeds, and optimistically know that with a little effort everything will always work out in the end.

Lastly, esophageal cancer is quiet but aggressive. A history of chronic acid reflux is often a precursor to this disease and regular endoscopies can save your life.

There will be no formal funeral service. Tim, along with family and friends, celebrated his life with a last hurrah party.  We all got to share memories and say our goodbyes to the man, help him to enjoy his last Saturday afternoon, and soothed our own hearts with a day well spent. Take a seat on the porch, turn on some Beatles, Tom Petty, or Neil Young, and raise a glass to him.

Please consider making a donation in his name to the West Grove-Avondale Rotary Club, P.O Box 280 West Grove, PA 19390.  Their service and financial support to our immediate community is invaluable. Tim enjoyed the camaraderie of service work with the Club.

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count, but the life in your years” ~Abraham Lincoln

To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com,

Arrangements by the Foulk Funeral Home, West Grove.