Kerrville Daily Times
February 1, 2012

COMFORT - Beth Kimbrough Oliver of Center Point, Texas, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, in Comfort, Texas. She was born in Haskell, Texas, to Bernice Mask and Frank Kimbrough of a noted Texas football family, on July 15, 1928. Due to her father's coaching career, her family moved frequently.

She spent her childhood in Abilene, Texas, but when sporting programs were canceled due to World War II, her father was recruited by the Navy to coach. His transfers resulted in her attending high school in Chapel Hill, N.C., Williamstown, Mass., and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., before graduating from Waco High School in Texas. She attended West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas, received her Bachelor of Arts in 1950, and remained an ardent football fan throughout her life. It was a point of pride that WTSU named Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in honor of her father's accomplishments as coach and athletic director.

After obtaining her Master of Arts in drama from Baylor University, her first job was as a school teacher in Clovis, N.M. Beth married U.S. Army Lt. George S. Oliver on Feb. 21, 1953, in Amarillo, Texas. Her frequent moves were good preparation for married life as an army officer's wife. Every move was seen as an adventure that came with opportunities to meet new people while exploring different communities.

Her first army post was at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. Later she was in little theater performances in Shreveport, La., West Point, N.Y., Canyon, Texas, Amarillo, Texas, and Fort Leavenworth, Kan. During a tour of duty in Germany, she built upon a close association with the Stuttgart Ballet to host her own radio program on the Armed Forces Network, upon which she discussed art events in Europe of interest to U.S. military personnel.

She performed in several plays and was selected Best Actress in U.S. Army Europe for her performance in "The Owl and the Pussy Cat". While stationed in the Washington, D.C., area, she was active as the vice president and program chairwoman for the Hospitality and Information Service, assisting the wives and families of foreign diplomats in their efforts to acclimate to life in the United States. She co-founded Karate Helps Kick Diabetes, a fundraiser in the campaign against diabetes. She served as an advance person in the Kennedy and Humphrey presidential campaigns and as a hostess at the Kennedy presidential inauguration. She was active in the Texas State Society of Washington, D.C.

Beth is survived by her husband, retired Army Col. George S. Oliver; son, George S. Oliver Jr.; daughter-in- law, Daryn Oliver; daughter, Kim Oliver; son-in-law, James Stout all of Center Point, Texas; granddaughter, Sheena Smith of San Antonio, Texas; grandson, Sean Smith of Sterling, Va.; brother, retired U.S. Army Col. Frank Kimbrough and family of Augusta, Ga., and Los Angeles, Calif.

The family requests that in lieu of memorial flowers, contributions be made to the American Diabetes Association or Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Services were held at St. Peters Episcopal Church in Kerrville, Texas, and Beth was laid to rest in the Center Point Texas cemetery.

Grimes Funeral Chapels, Kerrville, Texas