Beverly Jean Nollet's Obituary
On Thursday, November 21, 2024, Beverly “Bev” Jean Nollet, of Methuen, MA passed away at the age of 65.
Bev was born on March 5, 1959, in Lawrence, MA., to Claire and Henry Nollet. She lived her life in the Merrimack Valley and surrounding region, graduating from Andover High School in 1977, and attending Northern Essex Community College and UMass Lowell, where she earned a degree in early childhood education.
Her passion in life was helping people discover the joy of dance and music. For nearly 50 years, Bev (Miss Bev to her students) taught dance and baton twirling to children and teens. She began teaching in her family’s dance studio as a teen, and eventually owned her own studio, Nollet’s Academy of Baton and Dance where she developed local, national, and world twirling competitors under the team name “Nollet’s Starlettes.”
Over the years, hundreds of students have danced or twirled with Miss Bev. Most recently, she ran the town of Andover’s children’s dance program, organizing a yearly recital that brought joy to dancers and their families alike.
Miss Bev twirled and danced her way into the hearts of everyone that met her. Known for her kindness and fun-first philosophy (not to mention an amazing fishtail), Miss Bev went above and beyond for her students. Whether it was driving a student to their driver’s license exam, sewing all night to ensure costumes had extra sparkle, or epic road trips to competitions in Indiana, Miss Bev gave with all her heart to her students.
Teaching was an integral part of Miss Bev. When not in the dance studio, she was an early childhood educator. Her favorite thing to do with her students was to play musical instruments and put on mini performances. Her classrooms were always filled with laughter, songs, and love. Most recently, Bev worked at the Goddard School in Reading, MA in the 3 to 4-year-old classroom. Miss Bev treasured her time at the Goddard School and loved their focus on fun in education.
Officially, Bev was a cherished daughter, sister, aunt, and cousin. Unofficially, she was also a mother figure, cheerleader, and beloved friend. She will be missed by a wide circle of family and friends, from Spicket Commons to California, and everywhere in between.
Despite a long battle with cancer, Bev maintained a positive outlook and compassion for others throughout her entire life. Bev was driven by a desire for the people she loved to be happy. Her quests for happiness often resulted in a trip to Canobie Lake, hotdogs and ice cream at Mike’s in Dracut, or riding go-carts at Fun World.
A celebration of life party for Bev will be held in early 2025. Bev’s favorite command to family and friends was “Be Happy.” With her passing, that has become much more challenging. However, together with some dancing, twirling, and reminiscing, we will keep her kindness and fun spirit alive.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Miss Bev’s Excellence in Education Fund at the Reading Goddard School. Donations will be used to help create an outdoor performance stage in her memory. Please contact the school to donate. https://www.goddardschool.com/schools/ma/reading/reading .
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