Beverly (Burnham) Winans

WORCESTER  - Beverly “Taffy” (Burnham) Winans, daughter of Harry L. & Eunice (Emerson) Burnham, born in Northampton, Massachusetts on July 27, 1939, passed away on May 17, 2024. She is predeceased by her beloved husband, William W.Winans III. She leaves behind her sister, Jane B. Treman of Penfield, NY; son William W. Winans IV, wife Julie, and their children Kathryn and Gregory, of Dudley, MA; daughter Jane B. Winans of Westminster, MD; son James P. Winans and his daughter, Annette of West Yarmouth, MA; as well as many nephews and nieces, her dear friend, Helene McGrath, and her beloved granddogs, Penny and Watson.

Taffy brought joy to many throughout her life with her generous heart, loving demeanor, quick wit and subtle humor. She was well-known for her boisterous singing voice, extensive quilting projects and beautiful gardens. She had passion for puzzles, reading, playing board games and being in thesunshine with her family.

From an early age, Taffy and her sister were instrumental in helping their mother run The Burnham School in Scituate, MA. At age 15, she saved two girls from drowning when caught in a riptide at Peggotty Beach and was awarded a Medal of Valor from the Girl Scouts and a commendation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for her actions.

She was a proud graduate of Scituate High School, class of 1957, and Wheelock College 1961 where she received her Bachelor of Education degree, following in her mother’s and sister’s footsteps. Taffy taught in Rochester, NY where she met the love of her life, William W. Winans III. They married in June, 1964 and moved back to her beloved Scituate to start their journey together.

They began the life of a “circuit chef,” traveling seasonally to Mount Snow in the winter and Cape Cod in the summer along with their band of culinary friends, finally settling in South Yarmouth where they raised their family and were proud to call their home for more than 50 years.

“Chef Bill” and “Chief Bottle Washer Taffy” were in the restaurant business for a long while. Taffy worked as a waitress at the Dockside in Hyannis, the Dolphin in Barnstable, was the head waitress at the iconic Old Yarmouth Inn and was a manager at Fred’s Turkey House. She and Bill were also owners/operators of Luigi‘s Italian Restaurant in Hyannis.

Growing up, she often mentioned that her passion was for nursing and applied that desire later in her career, becoming an activities director for Alzheimer‘s patients at Eagle Pond Rehabilitation Center for 35 years. She won awards for her outstanding service and received many heartfelt notesover the years from patients' families on how much she meant to their loved ones. She dedicated her years at Eagle Pond to making a difference in the residents' lives. She took great pride in heading up the weekly Protestant service for the center’s residents.

Her family thanks the staff at UMass Memorial Hospital and Regal Care Nursing Home who cared for Taffy in her final months.

Mom taught us how to love well, and to be respectful and patient of others. When she saw a need, she would quietly step in and resolve it. She gave the best hugs, even to new friends she had just met. She always made sure that anyone without a place to be on a holiday was at our family’sgathering if they could not be with their own. She always made sure to tell us she loved us every chance she got. She is now at peace and will be missed by all who knew her.

A celebration of Taffy’s life will be held on Saturday, June 15, 2024, at Kelly Cremation and Funeral Care, 154 Lincoln Street, Worcester with a calling hour at 10:00am and service at 11:00am.