Beverly Joan Gatlin Midyett's Obituary
Beverly Midyett passed away on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at her home in Germantown surrounded by her husband and family. Beverly was preceded in death by her mother and father (Jack and Gretchen Gatlin), three brothers (Frank, Jerry, and Harvey Gatlin), and her sister-in-law, Joy Gatlin. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Jerry Midyett; daughters Kelly Prine & husband Sean, Kristen Williamson & husband Trent, and her son Clay Midyett & his wife Sara; bonus son Kevin Starks & his wife Becky; brother Larry Gatlin; sisters in law Betty Gatlin and Mildred Gatlin; grandchildren Katelyn Adkins & husband Chandler, Abayomi Finnie, Karli Williamson, Kinsey Prine, Cole Williamson, Karagan Prine, Kennedy Williamson, Ruby Midyett, Mac Midyett, Sam Midyett, Kellen Starks, Skylar Starks, and great grandchild Gatlin Adkins.
Beverly Joan Gatlin was born on June 22, 1940, to Jack and Gretchen Gatlin at the family home five miles west of Paragould, Arkansas. The fifth child and only girl, she had four older brothers to look after her. Beverly attended Stanford School and graduated from Crowley’s Ridge Academy in 1958. She was baptized and worshipped with her family at the Walcott Church of Christ. After high school, Beverly attended Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. She graduated in four years with a Bachelor’s in Education in 1962. She returned home to teach at Crowley’s Ridge Academy for one year before moving to Memphis, Tennessee to teach at Harding Academy. Beverly worshipped at the Union Avenue Church of Christ in Memphis where she met her husband, Jerry Midyett, who was a student at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry. Beverly and Jerry were married on September 20, 1964.
Beverly’s teaching and Jerry’s dental practice were interrupted by a two-year tour of duty (1966-1968) in the United States Army Dental Corps at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. While at Fort Devens, their first child, Kelly Dawn, was born on May 18, 1967. After returning to Memphis, Beverly resumed her teaching career at Harding Academy and Jerry resumed his dental practice. On July 30, 1970, Kristen Elizabeth was born and on January 4, 1976, the Midyett family was complete with the birth of Clay Gatlin.
While Beverly raised her children and cared for her husband, she enjoyed cooking, working in her flower beds, tennis, running, and traveling with friends and family. As her children grew, she agreed to work at the dental practice for three weeks to help get their first computer system up and running. That three-week commitment lasted until 2020 when the pandemic and her own health forced her to back away from these duties.
Beverly’s two great passions in life were her faith and her family. “Nana” to her grandchildren was the spiritual leader of the family displaying tremendous grace and genuine concern for everyone she met. The Midyett home was a place of refuge for a variety of displaced people who immediately became important members of the family. With a quiet, gracious and gentle spirit, Beverly was involved in a variety of church activities including Mother’s Day Out programs, children’s nursery, teaching Bible classes, teaching English through FriendSpeak, and hosting a variety of Reach Group or Village gatherings in her home. A mentor to countless people, she was always willing to lend a helping hand and never missed a time to gather and worship. Church was always very important to Beverly, and she remained actively involved until her final days.
A celebration of life will be held at Highland Church of Christ in Memphis, 400 N. Houston Levee Rd at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 10. Visitation will follow.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in her memory to Harding Academy of Memphis or Highland Church of Christ in Memphis.
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