Last Updated on October 13, 2016 by CCAR Staff
Galen Beery, longtime president of the La Verne Historical Society, and his wife, Doris Beery, were killed Tuesday night in a vehicle collision near Grants, New Mexico.
The collision occurred about 7 p.m. Tuesday on Interstate 40 at mile marker 84, according to a New Mexico State Police news release. Investigators believe the couple was travelling west when their Toyota was hit by an eastbound Infiniti that lost control, entered the median and rolled into their lane of travel.
The Beerys were pronounced dead at the scene, the news release states. The driver of the Infiniti, Aaron Hazard, 35, of Rancho Cucamonga was hospitalized with injuries at University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. He was last reported in stable condition.
Police suspect Hazard might have been under the influence of drugs at the time of the collision and “are seeking to pursue charges upon completion of the investigation,” the news release stated.
“Their whole lives have been about service to the community and humanity,” said Sherry Best, the La Verne Historical Society/Save Our La Verne Environment president who succeeded Galen Berry in January 2015 after he’d led the dual historical organizations for many years.
“Their deaths have left such a huge hole in our historical society leadership. We know we have to move forward, help people and be good to each other because this is what Doris and Galen would want.
“But it’s going to be a long pull before we recover, if we recover.”
The Beerys served the La Verne Historical Society/SOLVE for several decades.
George May, the administrative librarian at the La Verne branch of the County of Los Angeles Public Library, also noted the Beerys were active with the Friends of the La Verne Library.
Galen Beery served as vice president of the Friends’ executive board until he was elected president from July 2012 to December 2014, May said. He became second vice president when Clark Palmer assumed the presidency in January 2015.
Like the Daily Bulletin on Facebook.
