Dr. Beverly Jean Cleaves

1943 - 2020

Dr. Beverly Jean Williams-Cleaves passed away Saturday, May 9, 2020, at Methodist Germantown Hospital, after suffering from pancreatic cancer.

Born on August 16, 1943, Dr. Williams-Cleaves was the youngest of three daughters born in Mason, TN to John Ed and Odessa Williams.

The valedictorian of her Manassas High School Class of 1961, Dr. Williams-Cleaves attended Howard University and received her medical degree in 1969 from the University of Tennessee Memphis. She focused on internal medicine as she continued her residency at the prestigious Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, and practiced for several years in San Francisco.

Eventually returning home to Memphis, Dr. Williams-Cleaves facilitated scores of community health fairs and organized many educational outreach programs. For many years she served as an associate professor in the endocrinology division at UT Health Sciences Center (UTHSC) and lead the endocrine outpatient clinics at the MedPlex Clinic. Dr. Williams-Cleaves was dedicated to serving her community, and her numerous civic and social involvements included Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., The Society for the Arts Inc., Bluff City Medical Society, Leadership Memphis, Healthy Memphis Common Table, board member of LeMoyne-Owen College, and the American Diabetes Association.

A lifelong member of Friendship Baptist Church, she led the establishment of the church's monthly "Feed the Less Fortunate" events. She and her sisters established college scholarships at Friendship Baptist Church and Manassas High School, as well as a lectureship at UT. She received numerous awards and honors throughout her career and was regularly recognized as one of the city's Top Doctors in Memphis Magazine.

Her sister Willie Mae Williams Crittendon preceded her sister in death in 2015.

Left to mourn Dr. Williams-Cleaves' passing are her loving husband Calvin; son Calvin II (Georgette); daughter Carlotta Williams (Terence); daughter Marinda Anderson; sister Ethelyn Williams-Neal, M.D.; nieces Pam Crittendon Johnson (Doug) and Jehan L. Roberson; nephews Sheldon C. Crittendon (Lolita) and William C, Roberson; 4 grandchildren - Astasia Willams, Terence (T.J.) Williams, Jr.; Calvin D. Cleaves III and Addyson Cleaves, and a host of extended family, friends, classmates, colleagues, students, and mentees.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, May 14, 2020, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and funeral services will take place on Friday, May 15, 2020, at 1:00 p.m, both at Serenity Funeral Home, 1638 Sycamore View Road, Memphis, TN 38134. Due to the current pandemic, attendance at both the visitation and funeral service will be limited to 100, including family and face masks are required. Live Streaming of Dr. Beverly Williams-Cleaves service will be available through Serenity Funeral Home's website. Serenity Funeral Home, (901)379-0861.

A full memorial service to include representatives of the many groups and organizations Dr. Williams-Cleaves was associated with will be scheduled for a later date.