Beverly Wingate Maloof, who spent decades protecting Riverside's historic buildings and natural landscapes, died November 6 at age 94.
Maloof helped save the Mission Inn from demolition as a founding member of the Mission Inn Foundation. She participated in campaigns for Measures C and R, which regulated growth in the historic Arlington Heights Citrus area and along Victoria Avenue.
"Beverly was always part of the Riverside community growing up," said Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson. "I knew her name, and she was always kind and an inspiration to me as a mother and business owner."
As founding president of the Riverside Land Conservancy, Maloof worked to protect open spaces throughout the city. The organization's Wingate Maloof Award for effective environmental engagement honors her legacy.
She served as past president of the Riverside Art Alliance, supporting the Riverside Art Museum in its 1929 Julia Morgan building. In the 1970s, she chaired restoration efforts for the Museum of Riverside's Heritage House.
Maloof founded Shelter West Realty, operating from a historic Riverside home where the backyard hosted numerous nonprofit events. She performed for over 50 years with The Why Nots, a folk music group of eight women who met weekly.
"Beverly was a model for women going into business because she was determined to be of service to her clients and the community around her," said friend Connie Ransom.
In 1989, Maloof became the first woman inducted into Riverside Sunrise Rotary. She received the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce Athena Award in 1994 for creating leadership opportunities for women.
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1931, Maloof cherished childhood memories of running through grass and climbing elm trees, which inspired her lifelong dedication to preserving nature. She first met woodworker Sam Maloof in 1958 at the Los Angeles County Fair, ordering a table that began their decades-long friendship. They married in 2001.
Following their marriage, she helped complete the relocation of the historic Maloof home to Rancho Cucamonga to make way for the 210 freeway. There she designed the Maloof Discovery Garden, demonstrating water-wise landscaping. She served on the board of the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation and as a trustee of the California Botanical Garden in Claremont.
"My mother's commitment to the Maloof Foundation was an example of how she lived her life—always in service of the greater community," said her son Todd Wingate.
She is survived by her son, Todd Wingate, and his partner, Steven Cason.
"My mother's commitment to the Maloof Foundation was an example of how she lived her life—always in service of the greater community," said Todd.
