Lindon woman celebrates 99th birthday by sharing her lifelong love of music

LINDON — For Dottie Beaver, turning 99 was best celebrated the same way she has spent much of her life: sitting at a piano and playing for others.

Residents gathered around the piano at Spring Gardens Senior Living in Lindon on Thursday to listen as Beaver filled the room with music on her birthday. Her performances have become a familiar sight at the senior living community, where fellow residents say they are often drawn in by the sound of her playing.

"As soon as I came here, I could hear the piano," Lowell Nelson said. "I wondered who they invited to come and play, and I came down, and it was Dottie."

Along with her music, Beaver's warm personality has made her a favorite among residents.

The birthday celebration included a crown and sash fit for the guest of honor, but family members say performing is what truly makes Beaver happiest.

"She just loved performing for people, and she just loves it. It's just part of her," her daughter Terri Hanson said.

Beaver's passion for music began long before her years at Spring Gardens. She majored in music in college and said becoming a skilled pianist required years of discipline and daily practice.

"I had a room that I was supposed to be in with nothing but a piano," Beaver said. "I had to be there for an hour practicing."

Now, nearly a century into her life, Beaver continues to share the gift she says God gave her.

"God gave me this gift," she said. "I'm very thankful for that. Really."

As her fingers moved across the keys, residents gathered to listen, proving that Beaver's music still has the power to bring people together, just as it has for decades.

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