Beverly Elaine Alligood Lavender died on November 27, 2023, at Phoebe Putney Hospital. She was born November 29, 1940, in Fitzgerald. Her parents were David Robert (D.R.) and Tommie Taylor Alligood. Her grandparents were David Cleveland and Bessie Alligood and John Horton and Callie Belle Taylor, all of Fitzgerald. She was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, and her beloved sister, Dolores (Dee) Alligood Bailey of Thomasville, Georgia.
She is survived by her two sons, Thomas Edward Lavender III (Ted) and Kerri of Atlanta and David Robert Taylor Lavender and Rebecca of Hahira, Georgia; four grandchildren, William, Emma, Wade, and Clara Lavender; a brother-in-law, Edward Bailey; three beloved nieces that were really more like her daughters, Melanie Hasty of Ocilla, Susan Harvard and Beth Deese, both of Thomasville, four great-nieces and a great-nephew, and seven great-great-nieces/-nephews; and longtime best friend, Gerrye Merritt.
She was a 1959 graduate of Fitzgerald High School, where she was the valedictorian and student counsel president. In 1963, she graduated from Emory University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Physics and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. After having her two sons, she received her Masters in Secondary Education from Georgia Southwestern University.
She was a member of First Baptist Church and the Georgia Retired Educators Association. She was a former member of Ocilla Country Club.
After graduating from Emory, Beverly went to work with NASA at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, as a physicist. She developed a computer program that helped put the astronauts on the moon aboard the Saturn V rocket. She also developed a program to schedule up to ten astronauts performing hundreds of experiments on the International Space Station. After moving back to Fitzgerald in 1977, Beverly taught math, science, and computer programming for 30 years at Irwin County High School (1 year), Fitzgerald High School (10 years), and Wiregrass Technical College (19 years). It was obvious that she loved teaching. She had a great rapport with her students at each of these schools and was always thrilled to see her former students at Wal-Mart and other places. She always said she could probably go to Timbuktu and hear, “Hey, Mrs. Lavender!!!” and it would be one of her former students!
Beverly enjoyed fishing, golf, and counted cross-stitch. She also very much enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s sports and other events. The love of her life was her family. Anybody who stood still for a minute would receive an update on the lives of her children and especially on the lives of her grandchildren. She was a notorious non-cook, and all of her friends knew that she stored her Tupperware and towels in her oven! She always called one of her nieces to get an invitation for her immediate family to Christmas or Thanksgiving Day dinner in Thomasville.
The pallbearers will be Geoff Bennett, Gill Braddy, Hank Braddy, Stewart Carswell, Trey Luckie, Shaw Merritt, Eric Stone, and Brian Vaughn.
Visitation will be Thursday, November 30, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, followed immediately by the funeral service at 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery. Blane Jacobs will preside over the service and Henry Tyson will preside over the graveside service.
Donations may be made to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 367, Fitzgerald, GA 31750 or to the donor’s favorite charity.