Gloria Beverly
Gloria Jean Dixon Beverly, 80, of Chattanooga, passed away on Monday, September 11, 2023, in a Queens, New York hospital.
She was born February 20, 1943, to Willie Edward Dixon and Pearlie Mae Clay Dixon. She was a 1961 graduate of Howard High School; she was the class reunion president for their 20th reunion. Gloria also attended Chattanooga State and UTC. She was employed by Coca-Cola Bottling Company Thomas for five years and retired from State Farm Insurance Company after 21 years of service.
Gloria Jean, as her mother proudly called her, was married to the late Leroy Beverly and from that union they had three beautiful children. She attended Bethel AME Church where she served as a Trustee, member of the Stewardess Board, Choir member, Past President of the Florence L. Brown Dungeon Women’s Missionary Society, and President of the Lay Organization. Gloria was also Calendar Tea Captain for February, Life Member of the Connectional Women’s Missionary Society of the African American Episcopal Church and Historiographer and Statistician for 2023. She was East Tennessee Women’s Missionary Society President for eight years. During her 8 years as President, her organization hosted a Hall of Fame Banquet recognizing Outstanding Leaders in the Chattanooga Area and hosted a Hall of Fame Banquet recognizing Outstanding Youth in various churches. Our mom was an energetic woman who could paint a room, refinished a deck, mow the lawn, and always grow beautiful flowers in her yard. She loved to write poems and loved life. She loved making our favorite dish, squash casserole and her famous sauce for her barbecue ribs.
Gloria was preceded in death by her parents; grandmother, Pearl Clay; brothers, Jerry and Gregory Dixon; husband, Leroy Beverly; grandson, Brandon Glenn Beverly; aunt, Mary Allen; and cousins, Brian Allen and Robin Clay Douglass.
She leaves to cherish her memory three devoted children; sons, Rodney Glenn Beverly of Knoxville, TN, Gerald Lamar Beverly of Chattanooga, and daughter, Tara Yvette Beverly of Harrisburg, NC; one granddaughter, Jequise Beverly of Chattanooga; one grandson, Keelan Beverly of Knoxville; one great-grandson, Malakai Beverly and daughter-in-law, Brenda Beverly; one sister, Linda Diane Dixon; four nieces, LaYaunna and Yeniia Dixon, and Nakisha and Reign Lewis; four nephews, Rev Vincent Dixon, LiJorian, Nikolis, and Kingston Dixon; aunt, Freddie Clay; sister-in-law, Marilyn Dixon; cousins, Amber Bouie, Carolyn Thurman, James Clay, Edward Clay, Sandra Clay, George Clay, Jr., Walter Allen, Rudy Allen, Denise Clay, Sherrie Clay, Beverly Clay, John Clay, Marie Buggs, Brenda Williams, Carey Watkins, Stephanie Watkins, and Holly Watkins; special god-daughter, Vonda Clay Ramsey; best friends, Alma Jean Sanderfur, Rev Terence L. Mayes, Minnie Williams, Carolyn Hawthorne; and a host of other relatives and friends.
Gloria will lie in state on Friday, Sept. 29, from 1-5 p.m. at Taylor Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be on Saturday, Sept. 30, at 11 a.m. at Bethel A.M.E. Church with Pastor Terence L. Mayes as the eulogist.
Burial will be in Forest Hills Cemetery.