Beverly Burgess
Beverly Burgess left this life on August 10, 2017, full of gratitude for her loving family.
She is survived by her devoted husband, Wayne Burgess, daughter, Cynthia Whitaker (Philip) and son, Gregory Burgess (Lisa), as well as grandchildren, Bailey, Clay, and Addison Whitaker and Geoffrey, Lauren, and Collin Burgess. Her older son, Dirk Burgess, died in 2006. Beverly is also survived by her brother, Richard Bryant (Noreen) of Indiana, and by sister, Patricia Bracken (Leroy) of South Carolina.
Beverly, born in 1936 to Lawrence and Geraldine Bryant in Portland, ME, grew up in Brevard, NC and graduated from WUNC in Greensboro, NC in 1958. Before marriage she worked in copy editing at Conde’ Nast Publications in New York City as well as the New York Public Library. After marriage in 1959, she taught briefly in Lawrenceville, VA; then the family moved to Charlottesville, VA, where she taught English and psychology for 30 years.
During her life she enjoyed playing flute with the Brevard Music Center Band and Orchestra, the Winston-Salem Symphony, Greensboro Symphony, Charlottesville University Community Symphony, Charlottesville Municipal Band, Shenandoah Recorder Society, and the Mid-South Symphonic Band in Rossville, as well as with flute choirs in both Charlottesville and Chattanooga. Music and the friends formed through it have been central to the lives of both Beverly and Wayne.
After retirement, additional companionship and mental stimulation were found with the book club and its eight members in Charlottesville, Va. Here in Chattanooga she found the health benefits offered by many gifted yoga instructors to whom she was also grateful.
She wished to express gratitude to those who touched her life and who made her better than she would have been had she been without their examples.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to A Step Ahead Foundation, The Community Kitchen, The Salvation Army, Hospice of Chattanooga, or your favorite charity are most appreciated.
The family will receive friends at Bev’s home from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12.
Arrangements are by Hamilton Funeral Home and Cremation Center of Chattanooga, 423 362-5999.