Beth Frye Strickland

May 11th, 1952 - December 26th, 2021

Nancy Beth Frye Strickland, known to all as Beth, was born on May 11th, 1952 in Beaumont, Texas - a detail she often left out in order to highlight her spiritual birthplace of Louisiana. Beth passed away in her home in Denver, Colorado on December 26th, 2021 following a beautiful Christmas celebration with her family and team of incredible caregivers. Beth battled early onset Alzheimer's, which took her life far before her time.

Beth was an exceptionally vibrant, intelligent and talented woman with a passion for art, design, music, food and France. She lived for her loved ones, including her three daughters: Lauren, Annie and Callie; her sister Kathy, and her many close friends across the country and the world. Beth brought her joie de vivre to everything she did - from cross country skiing with babies in tow, to dancing at Jazz Fest, to navigating the streets of far off cities, to cooking elaborate meals. Many will remember her incomparable warmth and the way that her laughter and beauty lit up every room she entered.

Beth spent her childhood in Alexandria, Louisiana with her parents Ray and Minnie Lee Frye and her siblings Randy and Kathy. From a young age Beth was known for her curiosity, love of life and impeccable sense of style.

After graduating from Bolton High School in 1970 she went on to study interior design at the School of Architecture at Louisiana State University. She always said that she would have majored in architecture had there been more women in the field - and throughout her career she was an avid supporter of women in design. During a football game in her freshman year, Beth met her husband of 42 years, Tom Strickland. Following their wedding in 1974, Beth and Tom lived in Austin and then Houston. There Beth practiced interior architecture at firms including Gensler and ISD, where she spearheaded national and international design projects.

In 1979, Beth and Tom moved to Denver - a city they would call home for decades to come. As was the case anywhere she went, Beth quickly made a beautiful group of friends that filled her life with joy and stayed by her side until the end.

Beth was an enthusiastic lifelong learner and received two Master’s degrees: one in Architecture from University of Colorado at Denver and one in Art History from the University of Denver - completing both degrees while raising her three girls. Beth became a licensed architect in 2005 and worked as an Architect at Semple Brown Design in Denver and the General Services Administration in Washington, DC where she worked on preservation of historic federal buildings.

Beth was an ardent advocate for progressive politics, particularly women’s rights and the environment, and she played a key role in her husband Tom’s two US Senate races (many argued that she should have been the candidate!). She instilled these ideals into her daughters and inspired so many people around her.

Beth was a member of the American Institute of Architects and served on the architectural selection committee of the Clyfford Still Museum. She served as a board member of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains and volunteered her time with a community organization providing affordable and multigenerational housing in New Orleans and Oregon.

Beth was a deeply spiritual person and spent many years as a devoted member of Montview Presbyterian Church in Denver, where her ashes will rest. Her spirit lives on in her daughters, in the many lives she touched and in all of the beautiful spaces she designed.

Services

We will celebrate the life, love and accomplishments of Beth on Saturday, September 17th in Denver. We will begin with a memorial service at her church of over 30 years, Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church at 3:30 P.M.

Saturday, September 17th, 2022

3:30 PM

Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church

1980 Dahlia St, Denver, CO 80220

 

Donate

In lieu of flowers, we invite you to contribute to the Beth Frye Strickland Memorial Scholarship fund which supports students pursuing a degree in architecture at Louisiana State University. You can learn more and donate here.