
BERESFORD, Mollie L. Beresford
Mollie Lee Beresford died October 30, 2005 at the
Heritage Club Nursing Center after a short illness. She celebrated her 100th
birthday in September of this year.
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Mollie
Lee spent her early years in Oklahoma and Texas where her father was a minister.
She graduated from the Oklahoma College for Women and received a master's degree
from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
In 1926 she married Howard [Ham]
Beresford, a coach of varsity sports teams at the University of Colorado, a
sportswriter, and an accomplished pianist. After Howard retired from coaching
and joined the federal civil service as part of the Defense Department, they
moved to Denver where Mollie Lee exploited her life-long interest in theater to
build a career as a performer of dramatic readings, first as a solo performer,
then later with Howard who provided musical accompaniment for many of her shows.
She also took roles in stage presentations at both the Civic Theater and
Elitch's. Her solo work continued after Howard's death in 1974, and she gave her
last public performance at the age of 99. She delighted in her family, had many
devoted friends, relished travel, especially cruises to the fjords of Norway,
and was a consummate lover of children and Scottie dogs.
She is survived by a son, Richard
Beresford of Ithaca and Centre Island, New York, a daughter-in-law, Suzan; a
daughter, Virginia Lee McGehee of Denver, a son-in-law William; three
grandchildren, Robin Adair McGehee, Abby Lee Poust (husband Alex), and Jon
Warfield Beresford (wife Betsy), and a great-granddaughter, Josephine Lee
Beresford.A memorial service will be held at First Plymouth Congregational
Church, 3501 S. Colorado Blvd., Englewood, CO 80111 on November 10, 2005 at 3:00
p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the church; Hospice of Metro Denver,
501 S. Cherry St., Ste.700, Denver, CO 80246; CU Foundation/College of Music,
301 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-030l or a charity of your choice.