Beverly Mae Forton, age 83 of River Falls, WI, died on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, at Comforts of Home in River Falls. Beverly was born in New Centerville, WI, on Jan.
7, 1939, to Clara and Russell Phernetton. She grew up with 2 sisters, 2 half-sisters, and 4 brothers on various farms in the area. She graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1957. Bev married Kenneth M. Hanson of Spring Valley, WI in Feb. of 1958. They were blessed with 4 children, Becky, Kathy, Lori, and Brian. They made their home in St. Paul, MN, and she worked at Pearson’s Candy Company making Nut Goodies – one of her favorite candy bars! They moved the family to Spring Valley, WI and she lost her husband in a motorcycle accident shortly after. At 26 years old, she was left with 4 children under the age of 8!
She had to become the rock of the family – learning to drive, handle finances, and the children by herself. Bev married Robert Forton a few years later and they ran the Hitching Post Bar in Bendenville, WI. After the bar was sold, Bev went to work at Ellsworth Care Center.
She loved taking care of the elderly. She also worked at the Lutheran Home and at the Kinnic Home in River Falls. She later started working at Smead Manufacturing and became a Smead Queen.
She made many friends and was loved by her co-workers.
Bev was preceded in death by her parents, Clara and Russell; her husbands, Kenneth Hanson and Robert Forton; her brothers, Jim, Lawrence and his wife Connie; sisters, Doris and her husband Dave Sackett, Rene and her husband Lee Kline; half-sisters, Agnes (Leonard) Sprague and Vernice (Frank) Terrance (?); and sister-in-law, Sue Phernetton. She is survived by her daughters, Becky (Jim) Lopez, Kathy (Kent) Sauerwein, Lori Gutting; and her son, Brian Hanson; her little dog Beanie; grandchildren, Adam (Amy) Larson, Matt (Heather) Gutting, Luke (Madeline) Gutting, Lauren (Shaz) Gutting; great-grandchildren, Taylor and Brody Larson, Weyland and Willow Gutting; brothers, Bud (Marion) Phernetton, and Tom Phernetton; and many nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Bev’s Life will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, at 11 a.m. at the First Covenant Church 1374 N Main Street River Falls, WI and streamed live through the link at https://bakken-young.com/ beverly-forton-09-06-2022/. Visitation will also be on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, from 9-11 a.m. at the church. Arrangements are with Bakken- Young Funeral & Cremation Services.
