Beverly Jean McNamara Marcus was born on December 10, 1927, to George “Sugaboy” McNamara and Lois McNamara. Known to most people as “Grandma,” she was the eldest of three girls. We could sit here and try to tell you where or how Grandma was raised but the truth is, we don’t exactly know. Each story she told explained a different part of her life that we may or may not have heard before. Some times she spoke of Kentucky, some days she told you about her childhood in Memphis, the next day it was about living in Arkansas, then at her next visit she would talk about raising her kids on Mel Sha Lane in Beaumont. She was famous for telling stories about of these distant relatives that none is us had every once met or heard about, yet we always smiled and nodded like we knew exactly where she was coming from.

She was not the kind of mother that wore much make-up, got all “gussied up,” or baked many chocolate chip cookies; Grandma kept things very simple. She enjoyed morning coffee on the porch, working at the hardware store, writing letters to loved ones all across the nation, solving crossword puzzles with every encyclopedia in the house, cutting up with all of her children and grandchildren, visiting with friends, making her daily mail run, and sipping on the ever-so delicious and nutritious Miller Lite in the afternoons.

Of all the aspects of her life, her family was her greatest love of all. It began with deep love and respect for her Mother & Daddy, undeniable love and devotion to her sisters, and continued on as an undying, unexplainable love for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was the mother that never missed a track meet, football game, basketball game, volleyball game, or baseball game; She was the grandmother that picked you up every day from school and gave you underwear and fruit for Christmas; She was the person who would worry about whether others had food before she did; She was the friend that never left you behind; She was the Catholic that lit a candle for you on each of your birthdays; She was the pen-pal that kept your mailbox full of long, detailed letters about all the latest happenings in life, and she was the sweet little lady that left you every day with the promise that you would be in her prayers. She was most content standing on the sidelines and watching as everyone grew in their happiness. She was never one to speak an ill word or to make much of a fuss about anything unless one of us was wearing too much makeup, had holes in our clothes, or had any form of ink (permanent or temporary) on any of our body parts.

To say that she was selfless would be an understatement, she genuinely wanted nothing more than for others to be happy and love themselves, mankind, and the Lord. Her life wasn’t one of glamour and fancy things, she was the kind of woman that was happiest in her water shoes and little pink baseball cap, but that is what makes her special to all that knew her. She worked her way into the hearts of everyone that met her, and that shows in the large number of non-family members who also know her as their Grandma.

She will be remembered as a woman full of selfless acts, a wise advice giver, the giver of kind gestures, the writer of unexpected handwritten notes, the buyer of sweet “pretties” for all of her favorite people, the keeper of all the old newspapers in Southeast Texas, and the best storyteller in the world. She will be missed by so many, and her memory will live on in our hearts forever.

She is survived by her son, Michael Marcus and his wife, Virginia, of Bedias; daughter-in-law, Brenda, of Sour Lake; daughter, Chelle Courville and her husband, Richard, of China; son, Edwin Marcus and his wife, Paula, of Sour Lake; grandchildren, Kelly Blake, Andy Marcus, David Marcus, Kayla Marcus, Jesi Courville, Jami Courville, Danny Marcus, Natalie Marcus, and Olivia Marcus; and great-grandchildren, Becca Marcus and Ellie Marcus. 

Beverly is preceded in death by her son, Tony Marcus; husband, Lloyd Marcus; parents, Lois and George McNamara; and sister, Annie Court.

A gathering of Mrs. Marcus’ family and friends will begin at 5:00 p.m., with a Rosary recited at 6:00 p.m., Thursday, April 25, 2013, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Friday, April 26, 2013, at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 245 West Highway 90, China, with interment to follow at China Cemetery, China.

Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, P.O. Box 38, China, Texas 77613 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Department 142, Memphis, Tennessee 38148.

            We love you Grandma, “See you in the funny papers…”