Beverly Jean Lewis was born on January 29, 1942 in Hot Springs, SD, where she was raised. Growing up with ponies and horses fostered her lifelong love of them and in high school, she began rodeoing. Beverly's outgoing personality and beautiful smile earned her the crown of Homecoming Queen her senior year. Beverly graduated from Hot Springs High School in 1960.

In the fall of 1960, she married her high school sweetheart and rodeo partner, William (Bill) Burnette and they began their many adventures. They worked horses and rodeoed across SD, CO and WY before Bill's horse trading took them to Kentucky for several years. While in Goodlettsville, KY Bill became friends with a neighbor named Mooney Lynn. Before long Mooney convinced Bill to sell him Bev's good barrel horse, King. When Bev found out she was so mad Bill was forced to buy King back. For more than he had sold him for. Bill and Bev remained friends with Mooney and one morning noticed his wife was home as her tour bus was parked outside. Mooney had said his wife was a singer. He just didn't elaborate that she was The Coal Miner's Daughter, Loretta Lynn. Beverly remained lifelong friends with Mooney and Loretta Lynn. Summer vacations were often spent at the Lynn's place in Hurricane Mills, and visiting with Loretta when she had a concert nearby.

In 1968, Bill and Beverly moved back to Hot Springs, SD and then to Bill's hometown of White River in 1970. The allure of the south soon pulled Bill away again, but White River became Beverly's home for the rest of her life. Beverly continued to rodeo and in 1971 was the Champion SDRA Rookie Cowgirl. While rodeoing Beverly met C.W. (Smokey) Jensen. They were destined to remain a loving couple for the next 37 years.

From the time she moved to White River, until it's closing Beverly worked at and eventually managed The Lariat Grocery store. In 1986, she and Smokey were able to move back onto his ranch west of White River. They spent all of their time rejuvenating the ranch and putting together a small herd of cows for themselves. Severe droughts forced them to sell their cows. They shuttered their home and headed to Wells, Nevada to work on another ranch run by a long time friend. They loved working in Nevada and considered it a great adventure. But, when the grass began to grow in SD again they happily returned home and spent their remaining years on their beloved ranch.

Beverly is preceded in death by her loving parents, Loyal Harlan Lewis and Mildred Lydia (Graf) Lewis, her first husband and life-long friend, William (Bill) Burnette, her beloved husband, C.W. (Smokey) Jensen, an infant son, Lyle William Burnette, and both of her sons, William Robert (Billy Bob) Burnette and Shawn Lee Burnette.

She is survived by her daughter, LaTonne Rae Burnette. Sisters, Loretta (Hap) Schroth, Jeannette (Rick) Pierce, and Vonnie (Tom) Roth. Grand-daughters, Megan Jean Burnette-Lolley and Cheyenne Summer Herber. Grandson's, William Chase Burnette and Chayce Rylie Burnette.