Beverly Leonard

BEVERLY LEONARD peacefully passed away in her sleep on Monday, April 12, 2021. Beloved daughter of Marjorie Bess and the late Lester Bess, Jr., she was the eldest of four children. Beverly was born on November 12, 1962, and grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating from Northwestern High School, she earned her CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) certificate. Initially, she worked in nursing homes, providing medical care to the senior residents. Later, she went on to offer her services to patients living in their own homes. She was exceptionally good at her job and received high praises from the patients and their families. However, her dream was to open up a home daycare center. It was her love for children that inspired her to eventually earn her Child Care Administration Certification. Although problems with her vision and mobility forced her to stop working and give up her plans for a daycare, she never once complained. Beverly was a devoted Christian and a long-time member of the New Christian Bible Baptist Church. When she was still in good health, she spent a lot of her free time attending services and Bible study, singing with the choir, and teaching Vacation Bible School. She enjoyed helping others and strongly believed in serving God in any way possible. God was always first on her mind. Whenever someone was suffering or there was a problem to be resolved, she would say, “Let’s pray on it,” and whenever something good happened, the first words out of her mouth would be, “Thank you, Jesus!” Beverly was not only a talker, who could easily strike up a conversation with anyone, but a good listener, as well. She had an extraordinary memory and her ability to recall anything and everything down to the smallest detail always amazed family members and friends. Whenever we couldn’t remember a person’s name, or a phone number, or even an event, we’d ask her - and she’d always come through. Even after her medical condition worsened, her sharp wit and sense of humor remained the same. Beverly touched so many people’s hearts and she will be deeply missed. She is preceded in death by her father, Lester Bess, Jr. She leaves to cherish her memory: her daughter, Leslie, and her son, James “Christopher”; her four grandchildren, Jalen, Jade, Denver “Tru”, and Kash; her mother, Marjorie; her two brothers, Reginald and Vincent “Chubby”; her sister, Pamela (Rick); her niece, Aziza; her nephew, Niles; and a host of other relatives and friends

Tributes

Beverly Leonard

April 12, 2021