Beverly Head Pickup St. John

1918 - 2017

Beverly Head Pickup St. John

Nashville, TN

Beverly P. St. John, age 98, brightened the realms of glory at 10:25 pm on May 18, 2017.

Born in Nashville, October 14, 1918 to the late Ernest and Bessie Pickup, Beverly was the loving wife for 50 years to the late Bill St. John. She attended Robertson Academy through the 8th grade, graduated co-salutatorian from Central High School, and was the art club president at Ward-Belmont College, a 2 year girls' finishing school.

Wife, mother, artist, poet, church leader, spiritual advisor and mentor to hundreds, but most importantly, Servant of God. Beverly's husband, Bill, loved to tell people he "married a Pickup and made her a Saint!" But anyone who knew her knew she was already a saint. Beverly served her family, her church, her community, and her world with a servant's heart. The phrase, "Never met a stranger," must have been penned to describe Beverly St. John. She welcomed new friends and old into her home and her heart, providing a listening ear, advice when requested, and always a home-cooked meal. Entertaining came effortlessly to her, whether her guests were family members or church missionaries from across the globe.

An active member of Judson Baptist Church during her childhood and early adulthood, she met Bill St. John and joined the Cumberland Presbyterian church. The denomination had no idea what they were getting when Beverly St. John became a servant of their church. In 1988, she was elected Moderator of the General Assembly, the first woman elected to that position. As Moderator, she served the denomination as their leader and ambassador, traveling to China, Japan and South America, during her tenure. She served her God and her church with the same selfless devotion she gave to her family. As a result of her spiritual devotion, Beverly received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from Bethel University, and an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Memphis Theological Seminary.

Beverly did not view aging as a barrier to anything. She spent her 90th birthday touring London with her dear younger friend, Pam Barnett. Though her advancing age slowed her down, her indomitable spirit carried her through to the end of her earthly days. That spirit will live on in the hearts and minds of everyone who was blessed to know her. 

She is predeceased by her parents, Ernest Alexander Pickup and Bessie Wickware Pickup; her caring husband, Bill; beloved sister, Eleanor Pickup Furman; oldest daughter, Susan St. John Steger; great-granddaughter, Chelsea Suzanne Weisz; and her nephew, Richard C. Furman.

Beverly is survived by her daughter, Jan (Larry) Davidson; granddaughter, Jill (Dwayne) Weisz-Keller; grandson, Jay (Christine) Clinton; great-granddaughter, Rachel Weisz; niece and namesake, Beverly (Frank) Feinstein; youngest Pickup cousin, Janie (Jim) Hayes; several other nieces, nephews and cousins; all of her sisters and brothers in Christ of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America; and her special friend, Rev. Sam R. Estes.

Special thanks to her dedicated physicians, Dr. Steven P. Johnson, Dr. Mark Deaton, and Dr. Tom Jones. To all of the staff at Southern Hills Medical Center, Morningside of Belmont, Elmcroft of Brentwood and Bethany Health Care Center, the family expresses thanks for offering special care over these last several years.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Brentwood, TN; Memphis Theological Seminary, Memphis, TN; Bethel University, McKenzie, TN; or Catskill Animal Sanctuary, Saugerties, NY.

"I've had the best life anyone could have"!--words from the title of Beverly's autobiography.

Family and friends will gather at Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church on Sunday, May 21, 2017, from three to seven o'clock in the evening and again on Monday, May 22, 2017, from eleven to one o'clock, with Celebration of Life service to begin at one o'clock, also at the church.

Visit the online obituary:www.woodlawn-roesch-pattonfh.com