Beverly May (Gates, Stewart) Kaminiski

Beverly May (Gates, Stewart) Kaminski, age 73, of Portland, Oregon, passed away on Tuesday, April 21st 2026. Beverly was born on May 6th 1952, in Portland, to Frederick Gates and Rosemary Wiebe.  She and her older sister, Sharon, grew up in the Hollywood neighborhood, where they attended Beaumont Elementary and Grant High School. 

Bev attended Oregon State University and began her career in nursing. She later earned her masters degree at OHSU and worked as a Nurse Practitioner.

Bev married Ken Stewart in 1974. They met while attending OSU. They had two children, Libby and Tom. Bev volunteered and was actively involved in her children’s academics and extracurricular activities.

Bev was an active and outgoing lady who made friends easily. She loved ballroom and contra dancing, playing music and singing, hiking, bicycling, kayaking, and being with friends and family, especially her four grandchildren.

Bev married Leo Kaminski in 2009. The couple met through activities of the Portland Folkmusic Society and Dance Community, and quickly formed a deep and lasting bond.

In 2010, Bev was struck by two debilitating illnesses that affected the rest of her life, but she accepted adversity and never lost faith or her love of music and harmony singing.

Bev is survived by her devoted husband Leo, her daughter Libby and grandchildren Henry and Amelia, her son Tom and granddaughters Malia and Leila. The light of her gentle soul will be greatly missed by her family and a host of friends.

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