Sister Bernadette Beamsley

Sister Bernadette Beamsley, DLJC, entered into eternal life on March 11, 2026, at the age of 69, surrounded by the prayers and love of her Sisters in the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Born Nancy Ann Beamsley on November 15, 1956, in Omaha, Nebraska, she was the daughter of Judson and Lorayne Beamsley. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Illinois at the Medical Center of Chicago and worked as an occupational therapist in South Elgin, Illinois. In her younger years she also served as a lifeguard at the YMCA, taught swimming lessons, and trained in First Aid and CPR. At the age of 24 she answered the Lord’s call and entered the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ in Prayer Town, Texas, on February 2, 1981. She received the name Sister Bernadette, in honor of St. Bernadette of Lourdes, professed her first vows on April 4, 1983, and made her perpetual vows on April 20, 1987.

At the center of Sister Bernadette’s life was a deep passion for evangelization. She proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ with joy and never missed an opportunity to pray with others for healing, hope, and renewed faith. She served the community in many roles, including as its second Superior General from 1995 to 2001, as a Council Member, Director of Formation, Director of Novices, and Local House Superior in Miami, Florida, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her missionary heart carried her to China, Poland, Uganda, and many other countries, where she formed the laity in their call to evangelization and helped countless people discover their mission in the Church. Those who knew her remember her joyful faith, her bold love for the Gospel, and her constant encouragement to encounter the living Christ.

Sister Bernadette is survived by her siblings Jeffrey Foster Beamsley and wife Teri, Suzanne Diane Chubinski, and James “Jim” Charles Beamsley and wife Susan, along with many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and extended family members. She is lovingly remembered by her Sisters in the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the many lives she touched through her faith, prayer, and witness to the Holy Spirit.