Kelly Patricia Bedson

After a protracted battle with cancer, Kelly Patricia Bedson passed on February 7, 2020 in Scottsdale, AZ at the age of 39. Kelly was born on July 15, 1980 in Aurora, Illinois. Her family moved to Phoenix in 1986 where she grew up with brother Mark, drawing and reading. She earned her Computer Animation degree from the Art Institute of Phoenix in 2000, worked for a decade as an animator and illustrator, then returned to school at Arizona State University Polytechnic, to pursue her passion for the natural world with a degree in Wildlife Management and Restoration Ecology, where she graduated Cum Laude in 2013. Kelly met the love of her life, Jeremy, at a Barnes and Noble when she was 18 and Jeremy was 21. After sharing their lives for 11 years, they were married in a simple ceremony on February 13, 2009. In 2014, they relocated to Payson, AZ, where Kelly had accepted a position as a Range Management Specialist for the United States Forest Service. Here they enjoyed a peaceful and rewarding life together with their dogs, Maya and Darwin. Kelly was a gentle, kind person, with a deeply generous spirit and a lifelong love of nature and animals, which she enjoyed in her personal li...[more]

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as a dog owner, and in her professional life. When diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018, Kelly remained dedicated to her work, and was recognized for her valuable service via the National Range Award, presented by the Forest Service's Washington Office for her exemplary contribution to the range program in the southwest Region 3. Kelly was a special person with a truly humble and giving spirit, and she was brave and cheerful in facing her illness, even throughout her final months. Kelly had a love for video games, skee-ball, comics, pub trivia, cider, and science fiction. She also had a fantastic sense of humor. She was frustrated to the very end that the newest Animal Crossing and Last of Us games were delayed until after her passing. The last film she saw in a movie theater - Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker's - was truly disappointing. Had she known this would be her last film, she would have selected better. She chose poorly. She was loved by all who knew her, and she will be deeply missed. Kelly is survived by her loving husband, Jeremy Pearlman; her parents, Greg and Linda Bedson; her brother and sister-in-law, Mark and Lauren Bedson; her in-laws Phyllis and Jeffery Pearlman; her sister-in-law Stefanie Pearlman (partner Matt Novak), her brother-in-law Richard Pearlman (wife Ronie), her brother-in-law Bryan Pearlman (wife Lena); her niece Samantha Pearlman and nephew Matthew Pearlman; her Uncle Marty Ribar; Aunt Jill Crouchman; Uncle Nelson and Aunt Suzy Wood; and cousins Eric Thor (wife Shannon) and Craig Thor (wife Lauren), and Andrew Wood (wife Amanda) and Matt Wood (wife Laura). She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Dwayne and Patricia Wood; William and Irene Bedson; Aunt Nancy Ribar; and Uncle Jim Crouchman. Kelly requested to be cremated. Her ashes will be scattered in the Tonto National Forest, and at Sarah's Meadow at the family's cabin in Michigan. The family would especially like to thank the staff of HonorHealth Thompson Peak hospital and Hospice of the Valley Sherman Home, for their constant, attentive treatment. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to The National Breast Cancer Foundation and/or drink a cider in her honor.